Omen of the Stars 1: The Fourth Apprentice
by xXDawnfire's FuryXx
Summary: Ivypaw, Dovepaw. One is the subject of a mysterious prophecy, while the other struggles with jealousy and a desire for revenge. But which is the Fourth Apprentice? Will the Clans be saved, or will the Power of Three fail? FS inside, R&R.
1. Introduction

**Dawn: Hey everyone! This is my second fanfic. I've decided to try making an Omen of the Stars series, even though I know it has been done before. I'm not the best updater, but will try as hard as I can.**

**Dusk: Hey, there, Dawn!**

**Dawn: Hey Dusk! Everyone, this is my sister Dusk. She helps me introduce my stories.**

**Hollyleaf: Don't forget me too!**

**Dawn: Oh yes, Hollyleaf. She comes down from StarClan to be my other introducing pal.**

**Hollyleaf: And I am not a bad kitty! I just love the warrior code!**

**Dusk: Yes, we know you're obsessed. You don't have to make people dislike you more.**

**Dawn: Anyway, I promised a full summary in here, so here it is!**

Omen of the Stars

The two remaining kin of Firestar are born to Whitewing.

One recieves dark dreams foretelling of blood and death, and a mysterious

cat from the past telling her only she can stop it. The other is suspicious of two toms who

seem distant and mysterious, and she tries to unravel their secrets. Jayfeather gets dark dreams

of the future, and gets more paranoid by the day. Lionblaze works hard to be a good warrior, but is

caught between choosing to follow his destiny or to let himself fall into love with a beautiful she-cat

who had always been his friend. Meanwhile, a dark enemy is lurking around, ready to drive the

cats out of their home. Can the Power of Three stop the darkness? Who is the Fourth

Apprentice? What is her power? And can the three cats lead the Clans to

their new home, or will they perish trying? Read to find out.

**Dusk: I think it sounds good.**

**Hollyleaf: Me too. Hey, I'm in it!**

**Dawn: But you're not alive.**

**Hollyleaf: *sarcastic gasp* really?**

**Dawn: Haha, funny. Anyway, please read the story, and if you like it, please review!!**


	2. Allegiances

**Dawn: Okay, here are the allegiances! **

**Dusk: Hollyleaf, what did you do with my iPod?**

**Hollyleaf: Nothing. . . *tries to hide it.**

**Dusk: GIMME THAT!**

**Hollyleaf: *pouts***

**Dawn: ANYWAY we need to post the allegiances. Here they are!**

THUNDERCLAN

LEADER

Firestar- ginger tom with a flame-colored pelt.

DEPUTY

Brambleclaw- dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes.

MEDICINE CAT

Jayfeather- blind gray tabby tom with blue eyes.

Apprentice, Blossompaw

WARRIORS

Cloudtail- long-haired white tom with blue eyes.

Brackenfur- golden brown tabby tom.

Apprentice, Dovepaw

Sorreltail- tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat with amber eyes.

Apprentice, Ivypaw

Thornclaw- golden brown tabby tom.

Brightheart- white she-cat with ginger patches.

Apprentice, Bumblepaw

Birchfall- light brown tabby tom.

Apprentice, Rosepaw

Berrynose- cream-colored tom.

Mousewhisker- gray-and-white tom.

Apprentice, Briarpaw

Cinderheart- gray tabby she-cat.

Lionblaze- golden tabby tom with amber eyes.

Apprentice, Toadpaw

Foxfang- reddish tabby tom.

Icestorm- white she-cat.

APPRENTICES

Ivypaw- tabby-and-white she-cat.

Dovepaw- fluffy pale gray she-cat.

Rosepaw- dark cream she-cat.

Toadpaw- black-and-white tom.

Bumblepaw- very pale gray tom with black stripes.

Briarpaw- dark brown she-cat.

Blossompaw- pale brown she-cat with a dark stripe along her spine.

QUEENS

Squirrelflight- dark ginger she-cat with green eyes, mother of Brambleclaw's kits: Lichenkit and Blazekit.

Hazeltail- small gray-and-white she-cat, mother of Thornclaw's kits: Bluekit, Honeykit, and Gingerkit.

Poppyfrost- tortoiseshell she-cat, expecting Mousewhisker's kits.

Whitewing- white she-cat with green eyes.

ELDERS

Dustpelt- dark brown tabby tom.

Sandstorm- pale ginger she-cat with green eyes.

Graystripe- long-haired gray tom.

Daisy- cream long-furred cat from the horseplace.

Millie- striped gray tabby she-cat, former kittypet.

Ferncloud- pale gray (with darker flecks) she-cat with green eyes.

Purdy- elderly, plump tabby with a gray muzzle, formerly a loner.

SHADOWCLAN

LEADER

Russetstar- dark ginger she-cat.

DEPUTY

Tawnypelt-tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes.

MEDICINE CAT

Flametail- ginger tom.

WARRIORS

Oakfur-small brown tom.

Rowanclaw- ginger tom.

Smokefoot- black tom.

Ivytail- black, white, and tortoiseshell she-cat.

Toadfoot- dark brown tom.

Crowfrost- black-and-white tom.

Apprentice, Olivepaw

Kinkfur- tabby she-cat, with long fur that sticks out at all angles.

Snaketail- dark brown tom with tabby-striped tail.

Apprentice, Scorchpaw

Whitewater- white she-cat with long fur, blind in one eye.

Apprentice, Redpaw

Tigerfur- dark brown tabby tom.

Dawnpetal- cream-furred she-cat.

Owlwing- light brown tabby tom.

Shrewpelt- gray she-cat with black feet.

APPRENTICES

Olivepaw- tortoiseshell she-cat.

Scorchpaw- dark gray tom.

Redpaw- mottled brown and ginger tom.

Frogpaw- light brown tom with unusual dark brown spots.

Silverpaw- light gray tabby she-cat.

QUEENS

Ivytail- black, white, and tortoiseshell she-cat, mother of Snaketail's kits: Bluekit, Mallowkit, and Patchkit.

Snowbird- pure-white she-cat, mother of Crowfrost's kits: Wildkit and Runningkit.

ELDERS

Cedarheart- dark gray tom.

WINDCLAN

LEADER

Onestar- brown tabby tom.

DEPUTY

Ashfoot- gray she-cat.

MEDICINE CAT

Kestrelspots- mottled gray tom.

WARRIORS

Crowfeather- dark gray tom.

Apprentice, Rabbitpaw.

Owlwhisker- light brown tabby tom.

Whitetail- small white she-cat.

Apprentice, Sedgepaw

Gorsetail- very pale gray-and-white cat with blue eyes.

Weaselfur- ginger tom with white paws.

Harespring- brown-and-white tom.

Leaftail- dark tabby tom with amber eyes.

Apprentice, Thistlepaw

Willowclaw- gray she-cat.

Apprentice, Swallowpaw

Emberfoot- grey tom with two dark paws.

Heatertail- light brown tabby she-cat with blue eyes.

Breezepelt- black tom with amber eyes.

Sunstreak- tortoiseshell she-cat with large white mark on her forehead.

APPRENTICES

Thistlepaw- long-haired white tom.

Sedgepaw- light brown tabby she-cat.

Swallowpaw- dark gray she-cat.

Rabbitpaw- brown tabby tom with white underbelly and paws.

QUEENS

Nightcloud- black she-cat, mother of Crowfeather's kit: Morningkit.

Dewspots- spotted gray tabby she-cat.

ELDERS

Tornear- tabby tom.

Webfoot- dark gray tabby tom.

RIVERCLAN

LEADER

Mistystar- gray she-cat with blue eyes.

DEPUTY

Reedwhisker- black tom.

Apprentice, Grasspaw.

MEDICINE CAT

Willowshine- gray tabby she-cat.

WARRIORS

Voletooth- small brown tabby tom.

Beechfur- light brown tom.

Rippletail- dark gray tabby tom.

Apprentice, Mallowpaw

Graymist- pale gray tabby.

Apprentice, Petalpaw

Dawnflower- pale gray she-cat.

Apprentice, Copperpaw

Dapplenose- mottled gray she-cat.

Apprentice, Pricklepaw

Pouncetail- ginger-and-white tom.

Apprentice, Beetlepaw

Mintfur- light gray tabby tom.

Apprentice, Nettlepaw

Otterheart- dark brown she-cat.

Pinefur- very short-haired tabby she-cat.

Duskfur- brown tabby she-cat.

Apprentice, Copperpaw

Minnowheart- dark gray she-cat.

Pebblepelt- dark brown tabby tom.

APPRENTICES

Mallowpaw- light brown tabby tom.

Nettlepaw- dark brown tabby tom.

Copperpaw- dark ginger she-cat.

Robinpaw- tortoiseshell-and-white tom.

Beetlepaw- black tom.

Pricklepaw- ginger-and-white she-cat with amber eyes.

Petalpaw- white she-cat with pale gray dapples.

Grasspaw- dark brown tabby tom.

QUEENS

Mosspelt- tortoiseshell she-cat with blue eyes, expecting Pouncetail's kits.

Icewing- white she-cat with blue eyes.

ELDERS

Swallowtail- dark tabby she-cat.

Stonestream- gray tom.

CATS OUTSIDE CLANS

Sol- white-and-brown tabby long-haired tom with pale yellow eyes.

Smoky- muscular gray-and-white tom who lives in a barn at the horseplace.

Floss- small gray-and-white she-cat who lives at the horseplace.

Frenzy- beautiful speckled gray-and-white loner.

Ginger- pale ginger former kittypet who lives at the horseplace.

OTHER ANIMALS

Midnight- a star-gazing badger who lives by the sea.

Lark- the leader of the foxes.

Russet- the foxes' healer.

Flame- giant ginger fox.

Spark- small pale ginger she-fox.

Flare- dark ginger, almost red, fox.


	3. Prolouge

**Dawn: Okay everyone, time for the prolouge.**

**Dusk: Hopefully you will enjoy it. Dawn tries her best.**

**Dawn: Of course I do. Hey Dusk, want a root beer float?**

**Dusk: Sure *takes a root beer float from Dawn* thanks.**

**Hollyleaf: *wails* I want one!**

**Dawn: here *hands Hollyleaf a root beer float***

**Hollyleaf: mmm!!**

**Dusk: Did you tell her that you put mouse bile in there?**

**Dawn: *sniggers* nope.**

**Hollyleaf: What's that disgusting taste?**

**Dawn and Dusk: *laughing hysterically***

**Dawn: anyway, please review!**

Dark shadows flew over the trees, creating an eerie blackness that swept accross the forest. Only one source of light flickered between the shadows; a blue-gray she-cat with startling blue eyes and stars in her fur was padding into a clearing with a small pool of water in the center. Not long after, she was joined by a shimmering tabby with white paws and a dark black cat with green eyes. As if in signal, the first she-cat raised her tail, and the three she-cats gathered around the pool.

"Any luck with choosing the final Power of Three?" the black she-cat asked. A small flicker of jealousy was seen in her green eyes as she stared at the blue-gray cat.

"Not yet, Hollyleaf, which is why we have gathered here."

"I thought Lionheart was supposed to be here too," the small tabby whispered, flickering an uneasy glance at Hollyleaf.

"He couldn't make it," answered the blue-gray she-cat. "The coming darkness is making the cats of StarClan fade, and only the ones who have an important role in the sky haven't started to fade yet."

"So _I'm_ important?" Hollyleaf snorted. "Me, who killed another cat and then announced to the Gathering that Leafpool here," she indicated at the small tabby, "is my mother. Bluestar, surely you haven't forgotten _that_."

"No, I haven't fogotten. You are important because you were the sister of the first two of the Power of Three, and will guide them and the Fourth Apprentice to victory."

"What exactly is the coming darkness?" Leafpool asked Bluestar.

"We will look into the pool to find out. All I know is that the Clans will again have to find a new home. There will be a cat gathering other cats to form a rebellion, and that cat will ally him or herself with the Clan's enemies."

"What enemy will he or she ally him or herself with?" Hollyleaf demanded.

"Glance into the pool." The three StarClan cats looked into the shining surface, and instantly a vision appeared.

XXXXX

The lead fox glanced around her skulk. They were working on rebuilding their ruined camp. Soon she would co-lead the raid on the forest, and lead all the cats to their doom. She just had to wait for that one cat to come and give the signal to start hunting. He was a nice-looking cat, and very appitizing, but he promised them a whole group of cats to prey on when he took over the forest, and then they would be joint leaders.

"Okay, that's enough. Russet, have you looked into the future and seen the outcome of the battle?"

"I have, Lark. We will win for sure, and have cats to prey on every night," Russet answered.

"Lark, are you sure you're doing the right thing? We have lived in happiness for decades. Surely we don't need anymore?" a small she-fox dared to ask.

"I am positive. We have needed a better territory since the dumb Palefurs raided our camp. Now be quiet and get back to work, Spark."

"Yes, Lark," Spark said miserably, and went back to hauling the pile of brambles back to the entrance where they belonged.

"I can't wait for those tasty morsels," a huge ginger fox growled, glaring at Spark.

"You mean the cats or the twigs?" another fox answered. "I've swallowed about a million already!"

"Stop complaining, Flare," the bigger fox snapped. "You know Lark ordered us to get the dead twigs out of camp."

"Flame, you think you're so great," mumbled Flare.

"Everyone, you may stop! The cat has arrived!" Lark commanded suddenly. A tom was padding into the clearing."

"I have come to guide you all to raid on the cats of the forest. Soon everyone will feast!" the tom shouted. A great cheer was aroused in the crowd of foxes.

"Now, with some of the cats from the Clans on my side, we will win the upcoming battle!" the tom yowled. "But the Power of Three and the Fourth Apprentice are mine," he hissed to himself.

XXXXX

Bluestar, Hollyleaf, and Leafpool looked into the pool in horror. They knew that cat had been evil, but they had no idea that he could take it this far.

"Now what?" Hollyleaf growled.

"We wait. This vision hasn't happened yet, so the Power of Three and the Fourth Apprentice will have some time to prepare," Bluestar answered. "Hollyleaf, you must visit the Fourth Apprentice in dreams. Guide her through the darkness, and help her become a great warrior."

"But who is the Fourth Apprentice?" Hollyleaf asked.

"Look into the pool." Hollyleaf did, and saw two tiny bundles of fur asleep in the ThunderClan nursrey. One suddenly opened her eyes, and Hollyleaf saw startling green eyes with a tiny flaw of deep blue in one of them.

"Her?" Hollyleaf asked.

"Yes. Go enter her dreams when she falls asleep, now," Bluestar ordered. Hollyleaf nodded, then turned and padded out of the clearing.

"Why am I important?" Leafpool asked. "I know I'm not fading."

"Oh, you're important, all right," Bluestar answered. "You are the one who will tell a beloved cat in the forest that it is his time to die."

"Who is it?"

"Look into the pool." Leafpool did, and saw a very familiar face glancing up at her.

"No! It can't be true!" Leafpool gasped. Far below Silverpelt, a very important cat slept, not knowing how close his doom was.


	4. Chapter 1: Dreaming

**Dawn: Hey, I got around to updating. I meant to do it yesterday :(**

**Hollyleaf: Why didn't you?**

**Dawn: Because I was at my mom's house all day, and I was already finished typing this.**

**Dusk: Yeah, but she's back at her dad's until Monday.**

**Dawn: Anyway, review, and flames are good for burning things, not people.**

Blood littered the ground. Claws flashed. Several bodies lay in pools of blood. Ivykit gazed at the battle scene in horror. She recognized some of the dead cats. Ivykit had the feeling that some huge, dark shape lurked in the shadows. Suddenly a burst of flame illuminated the clearing, and set the trees on fire. Cool wet ran through Ivykit's pelt, and a booming noise shook the whole forest. The fire continued to spread, and a dark shape was padding through the flames.

"_Only you can stop this_," the cat whispered. "_There will be three, kin of your kin, who hold the power of the stars in their paws. But only when one perishes, a fourth shall be born, and guide the Clans through the bloodshed to come_." The cat's green eyes flashed, and the fire was quenched. The clearing wasn't burnt at all, and four very different cats, one a dark ginger she-cat, one a large brown tabby, one a gray she-cat, and one a fiery ginger tom, were sharing tongues and talking about life in the forest.

"Who are you?" Ivykit whispered to the black cat who stated the prophecy. But the cat merely blinked and turned away.

"Wait!" Ivykit wailed, but the cat didn't turn around.

"Wait for what?" a voice asked. "Ivykit, are you dreaming again?"

Ivykit opened her eyes. Her mother Whitewing was gazing at her in concern.

"Yeah," Ivykit muttered.

"I don't like it. Why are you dreaming about Firestar leaving the Clan?" That was what Ivykit had told her mother when she had first started dreaming about the strange black she-cat with glowing green eyes.

"Dunno," Ivykit mewed, getting to her paws. "I'm hungry. Where is Dovekit?" Whitewing looked like she was about to argue, but let it drop.

"Outside with Blazekit," Whitewing answered. Ivykit sighed. Her sister had a huge crush on the handsome ginger tom.

"Go ahead and fetch yourself some fresh kill," Whitewing told her. "You said you were hungry."

"Oh, right." Ivykit padded out of the nursery, and saw Dovekit socializing with Blazekit. She desperately hoped Dovekit would forget about the handsome tom when they moved into the apprentice's den.

"Hey, Dovekit!" Ivykit mewed in greeting.

"Hey, Ivykit. Want to join us?" Dovekit asked.

"No thanks," Ivykit mewed. She didn't want to be around a lovesick she-cat. Instead she wanted to go say hi to Bumblepaw, the gorgeous gray tabby tom. She liked him a lot, but she kept it a secret. She was excited for when the time would come where they would share a den, once she became an apprentice. She would get to know him better then. She spotted him talking to Rosepaw, the apprentice he liked.

"Hi, Bumblepaw," Ivykit mewed.

"What do you want, Ivykit?" Bumblepaw sighed.

"Will you share a mouse with me?" Ivypaw asked shyly.

"Um, actually Brightheart asked me and Rosepaw to go hunting, so. . ." he answered awkwardly.

"Oh, okay," Ivykit mewed. She turned and softly walked away, aware of Rosepaw's fierce gaze on her. She was glad that Rosepaw would be a warrior soon, and she an apprentice.

"Hey, Ivykit," a familiarly mystic, sad voice said. Startled, she turned to see their blind medicine cat Jayfeather gazing at her with cloudy, sad eyes.

"Hi," Ivykit said awkwardly. She had noticed he and his brother Lionblaze were constantly talking to her and Dovekit, and wondered why the toms were so interested in them.

"Lionblaze and I want you to share a rabbit or two with us," the gray tom meowed.

"Oh, sure," Ivypaw mumbled, glancing at her paws. She and Jayfeather padded over to the fresh kill pile, where Lionblaze was sitting with a plump rabbit at his paws.

"Lionblaze," Jayfeather meowed. "Ivykit has kindly accepted our offer to join us for a meal."

"Great," Lionblaze meowed dully. He had the same sad voice as his brother, although not as mystical and soft. "Come share, Ivykit." Aware that the two toms were watching her as she ate, she dared to ask aloud,

"Why are you so interested in me and Dovepaw?"

"Interested in you and Dovepaw?" Lionblaze asked. Ivykit could tell he was trying to sound suprised, but she detected a little unsuprised glance in his eyes. "We eat with the apprentices all the time. Why not the kits?"

"Oh," Ivykit muttered. She knew he was lying about the whole 'eating with the apprentices all the time' statement. The two toms were very anti-social and quiet.

"So, when do you become an apprentice, Ivykit?" Jayfeather asked softly.

"Quarter moon," Ivykit answered, taking another bite of the rabbit. Neither Lionblaze nor Jayfeather were eating.

"At the quarter moon, or in a quarter moon?"

"In a quarter moon," Ivykit answered nervously.

"Any sign of StarClan in your dreams?"

"I thought StarClan only visited medicine cats and leaders," Ivykit mewed confusedly.

"Firestar recieved dreams of StarClan before he even joined the Clan," Jayfeather answered. "He was special. You may be special too, although some dreams let cats know their place in the Clan, like medicine cat or leader. We always ask the apprentices, and sometimes kits." Jayfeather had a sour look in his eye. Ivykit wondered if the strange dreams of the black cat with green eyes was a StarClan cat. She never looked close enough to see if there were stars in the cat's fur; she never came close enough.

"I haven't recieved any dreams of StarClan," Ivykit lied.

"Oh. Well, if you do, Jayfeather should know," Lionblaze murmured. "Are you done with that rabbit?"

"Yeah," Ivykit answered. The rabbit was hardly half finished, but she was desperate to escape the two moody toms. She scampered over to her sister Dovekit, who was grooming herself.

"Why the formal ceremony? You groom yourself about fifty times a day!" Ivykit hissed.

"Blazekit and I are going into the forest. It will be an adventure!" Dovekit's eyes gleamed mischievously. "Want to join?"

"Um. . ." Ivykit began awkwardly. "I'm not sure that's a good idea. Firestar would be very angry."

"If Firestar finds out," Dovekit hissed.

"Oh, all right. When are we going?"

"Right now."

The two kits then ran to find Blazepaw. They found him waiting in the dirtplace tunnel.

"Hey, Dovekit. Hi, Ivykit. Ready?" he murmured.

"You bet!" Dovekit purred. "Let's go!"

The three kits then scampered into the forest, unaware of the things to happen when they returned.

**Dawn: So what do you think?**

**Dusk: I loved it. It brought out Ivykit's character.**

**Hollyleaf: It was great, but now it's kinda obvious who the Fourth Apprentice is.**

**Dawn: You really think it's gonna be that much different in the real 'The Fourth Apprentice'?**

**Hollyleaf: *ducks head* I guess not.**

**Dawn: Anyway, I'll update ASAP, and remember to review!**


	5. Chapter 2: Catmint?

**Dawn: Hey, I decided to update YAY!**

**Hollyleaf: And she didn't get any reviews for the last chapter. SHE WAS HEARTBROKEN!!**

**Dawn: thank you, Hollyleaf, now that's enough.**

**Hollyleaf: Where's Dusk?**

**Dawn: She went to get lunch.**

**Hollyleaf: What kind of lunch?**

**Dawn: Del Taco.**

**Hollyleaf: Is she getting me some?**

**Dawn: IDK, probably. Anyway, R&R!!**

Dovekit looked around. She and Blazekit had desperately wanted to get out of camp, so she was extremely excited. She almost wished Ivykit didn't come. She kept worrying about what would happen if they got caught.

"Dovekit, are you sure this is a good idea?" Ivykit asked. "Can you think about what Birchfall would do if he found out that we are out of camp before our apprenticeship?"

"Ivykit, stop worrying!" Dovekit hissed. "As long as we stay out of trouble, we should be able to sneek back in camp undetected."

"Where do you want to go?" Blazekit asked.

"I was thinking we should go to the abandoned Twoleg barn. It's big, and there's tons of mice. We might set a record!"

"For what?"

"Youngest cats ever to catch a mouse," Dovekit mewed.

"Didn't you hear? Brambleclaw caught a mouse when he was like four moons old. We won't set a record," Ivykit hissed.

"Oh well, just a thought."

"Does anyone know where to go?" Blazekit asked.

"No, and that's why we need to scent it," Dovekit answered. She put her tiny nose in the air and sniffed. There was a faint scent of mouse, and a strong smell of catmint. She could detect a faint and very stale smell of fox, but that was it.

"Can you smell that catmint?" Dovekit asked.

"Yeah. Do you think that there may be a good place to collect catmint for medicine cats around here? We could try to be useful," Blazekit mewed.

"Guys, I'm not sure that's catmint," Ivykit mewed.

"What are you talking about? Jayfeather showed me what it smelled like when we were a few moons old. Remember that outbreak of greencough?" Dovekit shuddered as she remembered the evil sickness that took Leafpool and Spiderleg's lives.

"It smells like Deathberries," Ivykit whispered.

"What are you talking about? Deathberries have a tangy, sickly smell," Blazekit snapped. "Jayfeather keeps a few for emergencies."

"Why, to kill a cat?" Dovekit wondered, shuddering.

"No, to give a cat in pain or suffering a quick, easy death."

"Man, Blazekit, you sound like a medicine cat," Dovekit laughed.

"Me? Medicine? I'd rather eat nothing but mouse bile for a moon!" Blazekit hissed playfully.

"So how come you know so much?"

"Jayfeather seemed to think I should be a medicine cat. That was before Blossompaw stepped in and confessed being a warrior wasn't really her thing."

"So why do you think that the catmint smells like Deathberries?" Dovekit asked.

"I don't know. I really don't," Ivykit answered. "Can we just forget about the abandoned Twoleg nest and go back to camp?"

"But I don't want to go there anymore. I want to find the catmint!" Dovekit protested, her curiosity overwhelming her.

"All right," Ivykit sighed, giving in. "Dovekit, lead the way." Dovekit followed the sweet scent, past many trees, past a giant oak, and finally spotting the green stalks near a Twoleg path.

"Found it!" Dovekit mewed in triumph.

"Don't eat it," Ivykit warned.

"Why?"

"Because I think someone put Deathberry juice on the leaves."

"So how come you can smell it and I can't?"

"I'm telling you, I don't know!" Ivykit hissed. "Let's just go back to camp." Dovekit rolled her eyes, but Ivykit hissed persistantly, so she gave Blazekit the look that said 'No use arguing' and they retraced their scent back to the dirtplace tunnel. They were able to sneek in undetected.

"Hey, Dovekit!" Blazekit's brother Lichenkit was padding toward her. "Want to go share a mouse?"

"No thanks," Dovekit replied cooly. She knew Lichenkit had a crush on her, but she only liked Blazekit. Lichenkit's dark brown pelt and huge amber eyes reminded her of the look a cat sick with greencough would look when they begged for catmint. With a nervous pang, she wondered again why she couldn't smell the deathberry scent.

"I am going to lead the patrol. Thornclaw, Mousewhisker, and Rosepaw will come with me," a familiar voice commanded. It was Firestar, the fire that saved ThunderClan and the greatest leader ever seen in the forest. Brambleclaw was giving Firestar a very accusing look, which probably meant that he wanted to lead the patrol.

"We will go up by the abandoned Twoleg path. Jayfeather said he is low on catmint, and he doesn't want to be unprepared in case another outbreak of greencough threatens the Clan," Firestar said. The cats who were named nodded.

"But Firestar, you said you wanted to patrol the WindClan border for any signs of Sol," Brambleclaw protested. "Ever since he escaped the camp, you've been meaning to do that. We need to bring him back before he can murder anyone else!" Dovekit had heard the tale many times of how Sol might or might not have murdered the warrior Ashfur. Most warriors were convinced he had, but Jayfeather, Lionblaze, and Firestar didn't seem to think so.

"Jayfeather needs catmint," Firestar repeated stubbornly. Dovekit remembered in alarm the catmint that Ivykit had said smelled like Deathberries. She thought about saying something, but remembered that would mean getting caught.

"Is something troubling you, Dovekit?" the mystical voice of Jayfeather asked.

"N-no," Dovekit stammered. For some reason, she seemed to think that Jayfeather could read minds. She didn't really like him or his brother Lionblaze; they were always quiet and sad-looking.

"I wish StarClan would give us a sign to what will happen to ThunderClan. All I've recieved is messages of blood and death," Jayfeather murmured. He looked at her like he was hinting something.

"Well, you should be patient. StarClan may show us something more useful," Dovekit mewed nervously. She looked over her shoulder, just to see that the patrol had already left. A horrible feeling of guilt overcame her as she again remembered Ivykit's funny theory about Deathberries. She felt like she was missing something obvious.

"I just hope that if some cat recieves an omen they would tell me," Jayfeather said.

"I thought only leaders and medicine cats recieved omens," Dovekit protested.

"Firestar recieved omens before he even joined the Clan," Jayfeather murmured. "Anyway, kits need rest. Go get some sleep."

"Oh-okay Jayfeather," Dovekit mewed. She wasn't disappointed that the tom seemed to be trying to get rid of her, although she noticed him walking over to Lionblaze and whispering something in his ear. She padded over to the nursery, and lay down in a small pile of moss. She drifted to an uneasy sleep, but was jolted awake in what seemed like seconds later to a wail of terror.

"Help! Deathberries! Firestar! Someone, quick!" It was Rosepaw.

**Dawn: haha I am so evil, leaving you with a cliffhanger!**

**Hollyleaf: Is Dusk back with that Del Taco?**

**Dusk: Yes.**

**Hollyleaf: Did you get me anything?**

**Dusk: Yeah. I got you some fries *hands Hollyleaf a small fry***

**Hollyleaf: YUCK!**

**Dawn: What did you put in them this time?**

**Dusk: Sticks painted yellow. **

**Dawn: *smirks* next chapter tonight or tomorrow! I have been working hard on updating. R&R**


	6. Chapter 3: Dark Vision

**Dawn: You're lucky I decided to update tonight after all.**

**Dusk: Yeah, she almost ran out of time.**

**Hollyleaf: I appear in this chapter!**

**Dawn: You appear in almost every chapter. You guide the Power of Three and the Fourth Apprentice, remember?**

**Hollyleaf: oh, right.**

**Dawn: Anyway, enjoy chapter 3!**

Jayfeather looked toward the apprentice in horror.

"Calm down. What happened?" Brambleclaw asked urgently.

"We arrived at the Twoleg path, and Firestar went first. He grabbed the catmint in his mouth, and i guess it got down his throat, but he was yowling in pain and then he _died_," Rosepaw mewed.

"She means Firestar lost a life," Brambleclaw corrected to the shocked Clan.

"Someone get Jayfeather!" cried Ferncloud.

"I'm here," Jayfeather hissed. "Rosepaw, come with me. We need to get to Firestar."

"Can I come?" a small voice asked. It was Dovekit, who was looking up at Jayfeather in concern.

"No, you're just a kit. I want only Rosepaw to come." Jayfeather scented his way toward the camp entrance, aware that Rosepaw was following him.

"Don't you need herbs?" Rosepaw asked.

"No. If Firestar lost a life, he will heal on his own," Jayfeather answered, quickening his pace to a run.

"Why are we in such a hurry, then?"

"Cats who lose lives are weak when they are revived. We need to help Firestar back to camp, and he should always have the medicine cat there to help. At least, that's my opinion." Jayfeather could tell they were almost to the Twoleg path. He broke into a run. "Firestar!"

"Over here, Jayfeather," a quiet voice answered. From the way his voice was slightly below him, Jayfeather could tell Firestar was lying down.

"Are you all right?" Jayfeather asked urgently, coming up next to his leader.

"You sound like Leafpool," Firestar purred.

"Seriously, Firestar. There was deathberry juice all over these leaves, and if you ask me, you should've recognized the scent."

"All I smell is catmint," Firestar meowed, getting to his feet.

"Same here," Thornclaw growled. "Jayfeather, are you making things up?"

"No, I'm not," Jayfeather snapped. "Can't you smell it?"

"No, I can't either," Mousewhisker whispered.

"Nor me," Rosepaw mewed, shuffling her paws. Jayfeather thought they must either be stupid or just ignorant.

"Anyway, I feel stronger now. We will go back to camp and explain this unfortunate mishap," Firestar commanded. Jayfeather nodded once, in a very bad mood.

XxXxXxXxXxX

Back at camp, Jayfeather beckoned to Lionblaze with his tail. He felt that he needed to express his annoyance of the patrol's incapability to scent the deathberries.

"What?" Lionblaze asked.

"When we were fetching Firestar, I scented deathberry juice on the leaves. Firestar knew there were deathberries on them, but he couldn't scent them, and neither could the other cats. Isn't that strange?"

"That is wierd," Lionblaze agreed. "But nothing we can do about that now. Any luck finding which kit is the third of the Power of Three?"

"No idea. Neither Dovekit nor Ivykit seems to have dreamed anything, but I have a feeling that one of them's lying," Jayfeather mewed.

"Which one do you think it is?"

"Ivykit. She is quiet, put together, and looks like she has the whole forest in her paws," Jayfeather answered. "You?"

"I'm betting it's Dovekit. She seems like Power of Three material. She has the spice of Hollyleaf and the mysticalness of you. She even has a bit of fight in her, like me," Lionblaze answered.

"She looked a lot more confused than Ivykit, Lionblaze. I'm sure it's Ivykit."

"Dovekit has Hollyleaf's green eyes. Are you sure that StarClan didn't do that on purpose?"

"Remember Ivykit's the one with the flaw of blue in her eyes."

"Whatever you say, O Noble Medicine Cat," Lionblaze snapped. "I'm tired, and want to sleep. I'll see you tomorrow." He whisked around, leaving Jayfeather standing there like a moonstruck rabbit. His brother was usually less bad-tempered. They both had been moody since Hollyleaf's death almost six moons ago, but never took it out on each other. Jayfeather decided to get some sleep; after all, he had nothing else to do. He padded into his den. He curled up in the moss near his already sleeping apprentice Blossompaw. Gradually, he drifted into an uneasy sleep. And as he slept, he dreamed.

XxXxXxXxXxX

He was padding along a stretch of moorland when suddenly the sun's rays caught the grass on fire. Yelping, he sprang away, his paw singed and his tail burnt. He spotted a cat padding out of the flames. All pain forgotten, he ran up to the cat in joy. It was his sister Hollyleaf.

"I've missed you so much," Jayfeather murmured, touching his nose to her flank.

"Jayfeather, I can't stay long. "_There will be three, kin of your kin, who hold the power of the stars in their paws. But only when one perishes, a fourth shall be born, and guide the Clans through the bloodshed to come_." Hollyleaf's eyes flashed, and she gazed at Jayfeather with a look of longing. "That is the prophecy you must know. But in the meantime, you must be warned: Beware the sun's fury. It will be unleased in blood and darkness, and the lake will dry up."

"Wait! I don't know what you mean!" Jayfeather wailed, but Hollyleaf was already gone. Suddenly he was in a dark forest, near the tunnels. He hissed at them in fury, aware that they had killed his sister. Suddenly his paws dragged him forward, and lead him into the tunnel.

"No!" he yowled in terror. The tunnel caved in, and he was engulfed in wet mud.

"Jayfeather, wake up! You need to wake up! Please, Jayfeather!"

Jayfeather opened his eyes. His apprentice Blossompaw was gazing up at him in concern.

"You yowled out," she mewed.

"What did I say?" Jayfeather mewed worriedly.

"'No, Hollyleaf, don't leave me!'. Then you started screaming for help." Blossompaw looked at him in concern. "Hollyleaf was you sister, right? She died in the tunnels." Numbly, Jayfeather nodded.

"I'm sorry," Blossompaw whispered. Then she turned and padded out of the den, leaving Jayfeather all alone.

**Dawn: Sorry for the short-ish chapter. I ran out of ideas for now.**

**Dusk: But she MIGHT remember a great idea she had five seconds ago if you review.**

**Dawn: And if you can guess what Hollyleaf's warning means, you must PM me and will get mentioned in the next chapter! AND you get a choice of what one of Brightheart's kits looks like when she moves into the nursery!**

**Hollyleaf: Can I have a cat?**

**Dawn: You are already a cat. Anyway, if you get it right, you need to fill out this information.**

**Name**

**Fur**

**Eyes**

**Personality**

**Size**

**Special skills**

**Hollyleaf: Review or Dusk will flay you alive!**


	7. AUTHOR NOTE AND CHAPTER 4: EAVESDROPPING

**Dawn: ATTENTION: IF I DON'T GET 3 MORE REVIEWS BY TONIGHT , I WON'T POST ANY MORE AND MIGHT DELETE THE STORY.**

**Dusk: She's serious.**

**Hollyleaf: And she'll start a totally different one. Without letting you know, of course.**

**Dawn: Yeah, and it'll be on my other account: Wolfstar of ThunderClan.**

**Dusk: Just review, kay?**

**Dawn: And here's a very short chapter.**

Shadows flew over the moorland. Ivykit looked at them in wonder, knowing that the trees were about to burst into flames. But the blackness went on forever, and no vision came. Suddenly, a familiar voice whispered,

"Beware the sun's fury. It will be unleased in blood and darkness, and the lake will dry up."

"Wait! I don't know what that means!" Ivykit wailed. She then suddenly was jerked awake by Dovekit.

"What's wrong, Dovekit?" she moaned, feeling like she hadn't gotten any sleep the previous night.

"I want to show you something."

"What?"

"Lionblaze and Jayfeather went behind the nursery. We can eavesdrop." Ivykit was on her paws in a second.

"What are you waiting for? Let's go!" The two kits then ran over to eavesdrop on Jayfeather and Lionblaze.

**Dawn: Told you it would be a short chapter.**

**Dusk: So review and she will do and extra long one to make up for this one.**

**Hollyleaf: Better be careful. This story is nearing its doom, and only you can save it.**

**Dawn: And the contest to guess Hollyleaf's warning is still up. Just fill out this info when you review:**

**Name**

**Fur**

**Eyes**

**Personality**

**Size**

**Special skills**

**Dawn: R&R!**


	8. Chapter 5: Early Apprenticeship

**Dawn: Lucky you, I decided to update. I really don't think many of you like my version of OOTS, so I will wait. If I don't get three more reviews until Wednesday, I will forever delete this story.**

**Dusk: Aw, don't delete it! I luv it!**

**Dawn: Yeah, but not many people out there seem to think that, since I got 3 reviews even though there have been 52 visitors. Even so, that's not a lot of people compared to my story on my other account.**

**Dusk: And that story is great too.**

**Dawn: Its called ****Echoes over the Valley, Book 1: The Faintest Echoes****. My pen name is Wolfstar of ThunderClan. Check it out!**

**Hollyleaf: And that story's nearing its doom too. No one reviews anymore! Except for Lightkit.**

**Dusk: When did you get here?**

**Hollyleaf: Just now.**

**Dusk: But didn't I send you to pick up water in the lake?**

**Hollyleaf: Yeah. I decided you were trying to get rid of me.**

**Dawn: ANYWAY please read and review.**

Lionblaze padded behind the nursery. His brother Jayfeather was waiting there patiently, his blind eyes staring directly at Lionblaze.

"So what's this about?" he hissed.

"Dovekit and Ivykit. They went missing just a bit before Firestar lost a life."

"So you think they have something to do with that?" Jayfeather asked, puzzled.

"They might have seen something. We should ask them," Lionblaze answered. "I went over to the place last night and i smelled the deathberries. Have you noticed? Only we could smell it. Maybe the Fourth Apprentice smelled it too."

"That's a good idea," Jayfeather remarked. "We should ask Ivykit and Dovekit. In the meantime, we should be brainstorming. Who put deathberries on the catmint? Great timing too, right in the middle of leafbare when all my patients will be complaining about some cough or another."

"Maybe that's why. It must be a cat who knows ThunderClan pretty well, and wants to get rid of cats. Maybe even you, Jayfeather, since you're the medicine cat. Oh no! It might be ThunderClan!"

"Well, they don't know that I send Blossompaw or some other cat to fetch it for me. I can't help that I'm blind," Jayfeather hissed.

"Then they're not ThunderClan," Lionblaze sighed in relief. "Now, let's go find Dovekit and Ivykit." The two toms then padded out from behind the nursery, not knowing that two pairs of eyes followed them every move.

XxXxXxXxXxX

Dovekit stared after the two toms in dismay. They hadn't said anything useful except that they both could smell the catmint, just like Ivykit. They had also mentioned a 'Fourth Apprentice', whatever that meant.

"They are going to ask us if either of us smelled the deathberries," Ivykit whispered.

"You smelled it," Dovekit pointed out. "That might mean you're this 'Fourth Apprentice'."

"I don't want to be in this group thing with those two toms! They creep me out!" Ivykit hissed.

"Then lie and tell them you didn't scent the deathberries," Dovekit hissed, as if it was obvious.

"That's a good idea. Come on, we might be missed." The two kits leaped out of their hiding place and crept back to the nursery.

"Phew, no one saw us," Dovekit sighed in relief. "You know where Blazekit is? I want to tell him everything."

"Don't!" Ivykit hissed.

"Why?"

"I don't know what this all means, but it might be important. We shouldn't tell anyone until we figure out what it means," Ivykit answered.

"Fine. I won't tell Blazekit. That means you can't tell Bumblepaw?"

"Why would I want to tell Bumblepaw? Besides, he likes Rosepaw," Ivykit mewed sadly.

"We should spread a rumor about Rosepaw as soon as we are apprentices," Dovekit mewed excitedly. "We could tell cats she is secretly crushing on Foxfang."

"Good one! Only problem: Rosepaw's not the type that would go for toms who are that much older than her," Ivykit answered. "Something more likely. How about Lichenkit?"

"Lichenkit likes me. Every cat knows that," Dovekit protested. "Okay, screw the cheating idea. How about that she secretly goes to eat kittypet food, like Cloudtail did?"

"Tell me where there are Twolegs around ThunderClan territory, will you?" Ivykit scorned.

"Okay, okay. How about that she has a mysterious illness that prevents her from having kits? I've heard that there's an herb that can prevent kits from coming. Bumblepaw clearly stated that he wants kits."

"There's no such herb!" Ivykit protested.

"Is too. Jayfeather told me."

"Well, even if you're not making that up, I don't want to do that. That's against the warrior code."

"Okay, then I won't help you get Bumblepaw to like you," Dovekit snapped. "Have fun. In the meantime, I'm going to get Jayfeather or Lionblaze to ask me about the deathberries. I don't want any suspicions about me being this 'Fourth Apprentice'."

"Fine," Ivykit snapped. "I'm going to take a nap."

XxXxXxXxXxX

Ivykit dreamed again, but not the normal dream. She saw the black cat, but there were no words coming out of the black cat's mouth. She looked fainter, almost transparent.

"Why won't you say anything?" Ivykit wailed. The black cat dipped her head in apology, then ran out of the blazing flames.

"No! Come back!"

"What? Ivykit, are you dreaming again?"

Ivykit woke with a start. Her mother Whitewing was staring at her in concern, like she did every time Ivykit had dreams.

"Yes," Ivykit mewed groggily. She slowly pulled herself to her paws. "Where's Dovekit?"

"Over by the Highledge. Firestar called a meeting."

"Why is she by the Highledge? We're not apprentices yet!" Ivykit protested. Whitewing gave her a look as if it was obvious.

"Ivykit, you are six moons old in less than a quarter moon, but Firestar has decided we need more warriors. Today is the day you will be made into apprentices!"

Ivykit was on her paws in a second, and ran out of the nursery. She sat down by Dovekit, who wasn't looking at her.

"Today is a special day for two ThunderClan kits. We need more warriors, and the only way to do that is to make more apprentices. Dovekit and Ivykit have almost reached their sixth moon, and I feel that they need to become apprentices. Dovekit and Ivykit, please come up to the Highledge," Firestar commanded.

"But Firestar, it's against the warrior code to make kits apprentices before their sixth moon," Squirrelflight protested.

"Remember Cinderpelt? She and Brackenfur were made apprentices early in a time of need. I think StarClan will forgive me if I make these two into apprentices early as well," Firestar answered. "From this moment on, until she recieves her warrior name, this cat shall be known as Dovepaw. Brackenfur, you have trained many apprentices in the past. I trust you will pass on your skills to this young apprentice." Brackenfur padded over next to the Highledge, while Dovepaw leaped off the Highledge to touch noses with him. Now it was Ivykit's turn.

"From this moment on, until she recieves her warrior name, this apprentice will be known as Ivypaw. Sorreltail," he called, beckoning with his tail, "you will mentor Ivypaw. Pass on all of your skills of a warrior to this apprentice." Ivypaw touched noses with her new mentor.

"The meeting is over," Firestar said.

"What do you want to do first, Ivypaw?" Sorreltail asked.

"Can I learn the territory?"

"Sure. We still have a long day ahead of us," Sorreltail answered. "Brackenfur, do you want to show our apprentices the territory now?"

"Sure, why not," Brackenfur purred, giving Sorreltail a look so full of love that Ivypaw began to feel awkward.

"Then let's go." The four cats then padded out of camp and into the unfamiliar forest Ivypaw had only visited once.

**Dawn: So what do you think?**

**Dusk: Ivypaw and Dovepaw are apprentices!**

**Hollyleaf: Why did you choose Brackenfur and Sorreltail? They've both mentored plenty of apprentices in their time.**

**Dawn: To give Lionblaze something to rant about. You'll see in the next chapter, IF there is a next chapter. I have to get more than three non-flame reviews!**

**Dusk: So review and she will post!**

**Hollyleaf: And if not, I won't tell you the traitor in ThunderClan. Or was it ShadowClan?**

**Dawn: Okay, that's enough. R&R, and remember to check out ****Echoes over the Valley, Book 1: The Faintest Echoes****, by my other account, Wolfstar of ThunderClan. Toodles!**


	9. Chapter 6: Deadly First Battle

**Dawn: Okay, I decided to give you one more chance. Maybe two, if I feel like it. I need reviews!**

**Dusk: Please leave a good review if you like the story! She got two reviews yesterday, but she said three. She needs more reviews!**

**Dawn: And when I said there is a contest to figure out Hollyleaf's warning, I meant 'Beware the Sun's fury. It will be unleashed in blood and darkness, and the lake will dry up'. I will keep Falconkit sent in by****Nianque, since he guessed the Fourth Apprentice correctly. Make sure to guess, because Brightheart has at least three kits.**

**Hollyleaf: So R&R!**

"This is the Sky Oak, the tallest oak tree in the forest. Cinderheart once tried to climb it to get Mousewhisker down. She fell and broke her hind leg, but she's better now," Sorreltail told the two newest apprentices.

"Isn't Cinderheart your daughter?" Ivypaw asked.

"Yes." Sorreltail looked at the tree in lost memories. "She was born just after Cinderpelt, the medicine cat before Leafpool, died helping me give birth during a badger attack."

"So you named her Cinderkit after Cinderpelt?" Dovepaw asked.

"Yes."

"Sorreltail, we need to finish showing them the territory," Brackenfur pointed out.

"Oh, right," Sorreltail agreed. "Let's go along the WindClan border." The four cats walked a little ways, then stopped at a slightly barren piece of land with some veggitation.

"Onestar tried to give Firestar this chunck of land when they were still friends," Brackenfur explained. "Firestar gave it back so that WindClan wouldn't look weak to other Clans."

"Firestar should've kept it in my opinion," Sorreltail griped. "There are good herbs that grow here."

"Well, what's done is done," Brackenfur sighed. They started to turn away, but were interrupted by an unfamiliar yowl that hurt Ivypaw's ears.

"ThunderClan so near the border? Why don't they stick closer to their own territory?"

"Greetings, Crowfeather, Owlwhisker, Leaftail, and Swallowpaw," Brackenfur meowed smoothly. "We were just showing our new apprentices the border."

"Couldn't you show them the border a little farther away?" the smoky gray cat hissed.

"How are they supposed to recognize the scent markers, Crowfeather?"

"We're not stupid. Firestar sent you to try to take back this piece of land, didn't he?" the dark tabby hissed.

"No," Brackenfur replied.

"We know liers when we see them," snapped the light brown tabby.

"Do you?"

"WindClan, attack!" yowled Crowfeather. The dark gray apprentice leaped at Ivypaw, and bowled her over.

"We'll see how trained you really are," the apprentice hissed, unsheathing her claws and raking them accross Ivypaw's ear. Ivypaw wailed in pain. She heard Crowfeather and Sorreltail hissing and clawing, and Dovepaw yowling in pain, and that gave her strength. She did not want to see her sister hurt.

"Take that," she hissed, leaping up and clawing the apprentice's side. Her small kit claws barely made a scratch in the apprentice's fur, but Ivypaw didn't back down. Suddenly she felt herself fall backward as the apprentice leaped on top of her.

"You fight weaker than a kittypet," the apprentice jeered. Ivypaw felt a sudden burst of energy, but she couldn't get the apprentice off. Suddenly there was a deafening crack, and a branch fell from one of the great oaks in ThunderClan territory. It landed directly on the apprentice's shoulders, and she fell. She didn't move again.

"Swallowpaw!" the light brown tabby wailed. "StarClan, what have you done?"

"WindClan, retreat!" Crowfeather yowled. The dark tabby leaped off of Dovepaw, and the WindClan cats carried the dead apprentice back into their own territory.

"How did that happen?" Brackenfur hissed. "One moment we were fighting, and they were about to finish us off. The next, one apprentice was dead, and they ran off."

"That stupid tree branch," Sorreltail hissed. "That apprentice didn't deserve to die." Ivypaw didn't understand why that made her feel worse. She felt responsible for the apprentice's death.

"That's enough for today," Brackenfur panted. "Let's go back to camp."

XxXxXxXxXxX

"And so the WindClan cats attacked us for no reason. The apprentice who was on top of Ivypaw was getting ready to claw her to death, but a branch fell on top of her and she died." Brackenfur was explaining to Firestar the battle earlier.

"Well, that wasn't your fault," Firestar meowed. "I'm only glad the branch missed Ivypaw. We could've been mourning a death too."

Ivypaw shivered. She hadn't realized how close to death she had been.

"Well, it's been a long day for you four. Get Dovepaw and Ivypaw to the medicine cat's den, and then go have a rest," Firestar ordered Brackenfur and Sorreltail. They dipped their heads, and padded over to the two sisters.

"Firestar wants you to go to the medicine cat's den," Sorreltail said.

"Why?"

"You haven't seen yourselves, have you? Dovepaw has a scratch on her side and tail, and Ivypaw has a nick in her ear and several scratches on her hindquarters," Sorreltail fretted. Ivypaw hadn't noticed the pain because she still felt guilty for Swallowpaw's death. Glumly, she and Dovepaw trudged to the medicine cat's den, not looking forward to seeing Jayfeather.

"Silly apprentices," he purred when he saw them. "Picking fights before you even learn how."

"We didn't--" Dovepaw began, but Jayfeather interrupted.

"I was just joking," he meowed. He looked directly at Ivypaw. "But first, I need to talk to Ivypaw." Ivypaw looked at the blind medicine cat in suprise. "Come to the back of the den. Dovepaw, kindly wait outside." They did as they were told.

"Now," Jayfeather began. "Tell me about the battle."

"Swallowpaw or whatever her name was attacked me. She really was hurting me, so I got really angry. Then I felt this energy building up inside of me, and the branch cracked," Ivypaw reluctantly explained.

"I see," Jayfeather mused. "Ivypaw, you must come speak with Lionblaze and I tomorrow. We have something to tell you." Too tired to argue, Ivypaw nodded.

"I need to stop the bleeding on your wounds," Jayfeather continued. "Come here." He applied cobwebs and a wierd yellow flower to her ear and side, then dismissed her. "Tell Dovepaw to come in."

"What did he say?" Dovepaw asked when she came out.

"He wanted to know what happened in the battle. Now I'm going to get some sleep," Ivypaw told her. She padded away to the apprentice's den, and curled up. And like usual, she dreamed. But again, the dream was different.

**Dawn: Left you with a cliffie, didn't I?**

**Dusk: Cliffies mean more reviews.**

**Hollyleaf: So review!**

**Dawn: please? *puppy eyes***


	10. Chapter 7: Love Triumph

**Dawn: Funny. I threaten to delete the story when I only have three reviews. All of the sudden I'm at twenty. Wow, I should do that more often.**

**Dusk: Dawn!**

**Dawn: I'm JKing you. I won't do that. That's lying and cheating.**

**Hollyleaf: *cough*Leafpool*cough***

**Dawn: She only lied. She never cheated.**

**Hollyleaf: Whatever.**

**Dawn: Anyway, I've got Falconkit, Hollykit, and Maplekit. I want one more kit. Please, make this kit fairly large AND male, since all three she-kits are female and small. Thanks!**

**Dusk: And you don't have to get the contest right in order to submit a kit.**

**Dawn: But if too many people send in kits, I'm going to have to make one or two of them Poppyfrost's kits, if you don't mind.**

**Dusk: Oh, and check out the poll on Dawn's profile.**

**Hollyleaf: And read her other story: The Lake's Funniest Home Videos. It's the Warriors version of 'America's Funniest Home Videos'.**

**Dawn: And check out my other account and its story: Echoes over the Valley, Book 1: The Faintest Echoes by Wolfstar of ThunderClan.**

**Dusk: The author's note is getting long, Dawn.**

**Dawn: Okay, fine. Just remember to review!**

Ivypaw dreamed she was swimming in the lake, but having a hard time staying afloat. She wondered why she had thought of such a stupid idea in the first place. Then she saw a tiny kit, no more than a moon or two old, floating just above the surface of the lake. She swam over to rescue the kit, but a huge wave crashed over her head. When she resurfaced, the kit was gone.

"NOO!" she wailed, and jerked awake.

"Stop whining. We're trying to get some sleep around here," Rosepaw complained.

"I'm not--" Ivypaw began, but Rosepaw glared at her.

"I wasn't talking to you. I was talking to Bumblepaw," she snapped. "He's been whining almost all night that his nest's wet."

"Rosepaw, I said I was sorry!" Bumblepaw snapped crossly. "I just don't want to be stiff tomorrow. Brightheart promised to teach me how to fight today, and she hinted she wasn't going easy on me."

"Well, don't take it out on us," Rosepaw snapped. "_My_ warrior assesment is tomorrow, and that's more important than learning how to fight."

"Fine. I guess I won't hang out with you anymore when you become a warrior," Bumblepaw snapped. "You're too bossy." Rosepaw looked at him in disbelief.

"Bumblepaw, I--" she began, but she was cut off.

"I don't care. The damage is done. Maybe I'll just hang out with Ivypaw instead. SHE at least seems to enjoy it when I'm around."

"That little she-kit? She isn't a good mate for you!" Rosepaw said in disbelief.

"You thought we would be mates? Rosepaw, I thought of you as my best friend, almost a sister, but never a lover," Bumblepaw said.

"Fine! And when you are made a warrior, I won't cheer on your warrior name! That's a promise!" Rosepaw snapped.

"Do what you wish, Rosepaw. In the meantime, I'm going to try to sleep." And so their conversation ended, leaving Ivypaw suprised and slightly triumphant. She would get a chance to be with Bumblepaw! She fell asleep again, and not a single dream disturbed her.

XxXxXxXxXxX

The next morning, she woke to a cold nose nudging her.

"Lemme 'lone," she hissed, but opened her eyes anyway. It was Bumblepaw.

"Did you hear the argument last night?" he asked.

"N--yeah," she answered. No use lying, she thought grimly.

"I just wanted you to know that I meant what I said. I do want to hang out with you now," Bumblepaw told her.

"Really?" Ivypaw was on her paws in a heartbeat.

"Really really," he told her. "Rosepaw will be a warrior soon, but she's already acting like she owns the forest."

"Do you want to ask Brightheart if we can learn how to fight together?" Ivypaw asked suddenly.

"But you don't even know how to hunt," Bumblepaw protested.

"I know. I can learn fighting first. After all, you never know when a battle's going to break out."

"True," Bumblepaw mewed thoughtfully. "Well, I suppose I can ask--"

"Thanks, Bumblepaw!" Ivypaw was out of the den in less than a heartbeat.

"Sorreltail!" she yowled.

"Quiet! You'll scare half the Clan with your yowling," Sorreltail hissed.

"Sorreltail, can we go to the training hollow with Brightheart and Bumblepaw today? Bumblepaw's going to learn how to fight, and I want to join!"

"I don't know... You don't even know how to hunt," Sorreltail said gently.

"But remember yesterday? WindClan might want revenge for their apprentice, and might attack! I want to know how to defend myself! Please, Sorreltail?"

"Well, I suppose so," Sorreltail said thoughtfully. "Where's Brightheart?"

"Over with Bumblepaw. He was asking her the same question," Ivypaw answered. "Come on, please!"

"Alright, miss impatient!" Sorreltail laughed. "I'm coming." The two padded over to Brightheart and Bumblepaw.

"So, Sorreltail, are you willing to teach your apprentice to fight so early?" Brightheart asked.

"She wants to learn how to defend herself," Sorreltail answered. "I say let's give it a shot."

"All right," Brightheart agreed. The four cats then padded out of camp.

"This is going to be so fun!" Bumblepaw told her.

"Yeah. I'll bet I'm the only apprentice to learn how to fight only on her second day of apprenticeship!" Ivypaw agreed.

"I'm not so sure about that," Brightheart told her. "The Clans have been around for a long time."

"That would be cool, though," Ivypaw said defensively.

"We're almost to the training hollow," Bumblepaw mewed. There was a small, sandy clearing ahead.

"Wow," Ivypaw mewed. "This is gonna be great!" They padded into the hollow, and the two she-cats faced each other, ready to show the apprentices how to fight.

**Dawn: I know that was kind of abrupt, but the chapter was turning out to be long. I have a special idea for what happens after the training session, and that can't be done at the end of the chapter. It would be too long.**

**Dusk: So you'll have to wait for an update later tonight or maybe tomorrow.**

**Hollyleaf: But I want to know what happens!**

**Dusk: So do I, but Dawn's stubborn.**

**Dawn: So, review. And remember to send in kits! I want four for Brightheart and two or more for Poppyfrost!**

**Hollyleaf: So READ!**

**Dusk: AND!**

**Dawn: REVIEW!**


	11. Chapter 8: Warrior Ceremony

**Dawn: Okay, here's chapter 8! I decided to NOT delete this, since threatening to delete it got people reading it.**

**Dusk: So, happy fans, you'll get to see the end unless you stop reviewing!**

**Dawn: I'm going for 10 reviews before tomorrow. If I don't get ten reviews by tomorrow, I'll not post tomorrow or Sunday. OR all next week.**

**Hollyleaf: Unless all the reviews are nice.**

**Dawn: I won't be able to post next week anyway. I'm going to Pismo! Whoo!**

**Hollyleaf: So read and REVIEW!!**

"Okay, first we'll show you a defensive move," Brightheart told the apprentices. "Sorreltail, attack me." Sorreltail rushed at Brightheart, and Brightheart easily sidestepped, causing Sorreltail to skid on the sandy floor.

"Wow," Ivypaw said, impressed. "That was fast!"

"Would you like to go first, Bumblepaw?" Sorreltail asked him.

"Sure," Bumblepaw replied cheerfully. He walked up to Sorreltail, and hissed for effect,

"Come and get me, ShadowClan foxdung!"

"Puny apprentice," Sorreltail laughed. "I can take you down." She rushed at Bumblepaw, and Bumblepaw sidestepped. Sorreltail tripped.

"That was for effect," Sorreltail told them. "I didn't really trip."

"Suuuure," Brightheart said.

"Ivypaw, would you like to try?" Sorreltail asked.

"Sure," Ivypaw replied. She barely had time to think before Sorreltail leaped at her, but she realized she didn't have time to sidestep, so she pushed herself under Sorreltail before she landed. Sorreltail landed in a mass of fur and claws.

"Wow, how did you know to do that?" Sorreltail asked, spitting out a mouthful of grit.

"I didn't," Ivypaw stammered. "It just came to me."

"Looks like you've got a bit of Hollyleaf in you," Brightheart remarked. "She made a defensive move like that on her first try, too."

"Will you tell me about Hollyleaf?" Ivypaw asked.

"No, not now. We're training," Sorreltail interrupted as soon as Brightheart opened her mouth.

"Come on, show us something harder," Bumblepaw urged. They trained until well past sunhigh, a major feat for such young apprentices.

"Come on, let's go back to camp," Brightheart finally panted. "We've done enough for today."

"I agree," Sorreltail meowed. The four cats then half-limped out of the training hollow. When they reached camp, they were greeted by two enthusiastic apprentices.

"We're going to be made into warriors!" Rosepaw meowed excitedly.

"Let all cats old enought to catch their own prey join here beneath the Highledge for a Clan meeting!" Firestar's yowl rang out.

"Come on!" Rosepaw said to Toadpaw. "Let's go up to the Highledge!" They bounded over to where Firestar was patiently waiting.

"Now it is time," he meowed when the Clan had gathered, "to welcome two new warriors of ThunderClan. "Rosepaw, Toadpaw, please come up to the Highledge. I, Firestar, leader of ThunderClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these apprentices. They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as warriors in their turn. Rosepaw and Toadpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code, and protect and defend you Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

"I do," replied Rosepaw excitedly, trembling.

"I do," Toadpaw said, slightly calmer.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior names. Rosepaw, from this moment on, you will be known as Rosepetal. StarClan honors you energy and your enthusiasm, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan." Firestar rested his muzzle on Rosepetal's head, and she respectfully licked his shoulder.

"Toadpaw, from this moment on, you will be known as Toadspots. StarClan honors your courage and thoughtfulness, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan." Toadspots did the same as Rosepetal.

"Rosepetal! Toadspots! Rosepetal! Toadspots!" the Clan chanted. Ivypaw noticed that Bumblepaw was only calling out Toadspots's name.

"Cats of ThunderClan," Firestar announced, and the Clan was quiet again. "The recent battle with WindClan may or may not go ignored. They may want revenge on the death of their apprentice, and so we must prepare. I want double patrols on the WindClan border, and every warrior prepared to fight. Carry on." The meeting broke up.

"That was a dramatic ending," the voice of Dovepaw came from behind Ivypaw.

"What, do you _want_ to fight with WindClan?" Ivypaw hissed.

"No, I'm talking about you. You have waves of guilt coming off of you in waves," Dovepaw answered. "Is something wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong," Ivypaw muttered.

"So I heard you and Bumblepaw are together?" Dovepaw remarked casually.

"Not exactly. He just wants to be friends," Ivypaw answered. "He nearly ripped Rosepaw-- I mean, Rosepetal's pelt off when she told him she wanted to be his mate last night."

"So, did you know the Gathering's tonight?" Dovepaw asked, again changing the subject.

"Yeah. It's the full moon, right?" Ivypaw asked. "Firestar should be letting us know who's going any time now."

"Ivypaw! Dovepaw! You're coming to the Gathering tonight, okay?" Brambleclaw called from accross the camp.

"That was odd. You're a psychic!" Dovepaw laughed.

"Nah, coincidence," Ivypaw answered.

"I'm going to go visit Blazekit. See you later!" Dovepaw said. She padded toward the nursery, but a wail of pain interrupted her.

"My kits! They're coming! Someone, fetch Jayfeather!" came Poppyfrost's wail from the nursery. Jayfeather was already headed toward the nursery. Every few minutes, there was a wail of pain, or a 'Hold on, Poppyfrost! It's going to be all right!' from Mousewhisker. Finally, Jayfeather came out.

"She's had three kits!" he announced.

"Can we see?" Dovepaw asked.

"Okay. You and Ivypaw make sure you don't trample the newborns, okay?"

"All right," Dovepaw agreed. The two headed into the nursery.

"What will we name them?" Ivypaw heard Mousewhisker asking.

"I like Birdkit for the tortoiseshell with amber eyes," Poppyfrost murmered.

"She looks just like you," Mousewhisker mewed. "How about Seedkit for the gray tom with some tortoiseshell patches?"

"Great!" Poppyfrost replied. "You pick for the gray and white tom."

"I like Swiftkit," Mousewhisker answered.

"Birdkit, Seedkit, and Swiftkit," Mousewhisker murmured. "Welcome to ThunderClan."

**Dawn: I enjoyed writing that chapter.**

**Dusk: It was very cute. Thanks to icethroat21 for the ideas for Poppyfrost's kits. Don't worry, Brightheart's still having kits! **

**Dawn: I will still use Maplekit, Falconkit, Hollykit, Snowkit, Cloudkit, and Duskkit, who were also sent in. They will be split between Brightheart and Squirrelflight, if you don't mind.**

**Hollyleaf: Yay, a kit's named after me!**

**Dawn: Anyway, please review!**


	12. Chapter 9: Interrogations

**Dawn: Okay, people, I think I have enough kits for the whole series.**

**Dusk: She wrote down all their names and their mothers for the series: for Poppyfrost, Birdkit, Seedkit, and Swiftkit. For Brightheart, Hollykit, Falconkit, Maplekit, and Cloudkit. For Squirrelflight, Snowkit, Duskkit, and Wolfkit. For Sorreltail, Silverkit, Tigerkit, Icekit, Echokit, and Frostkit. For Icestorm, Stagkit and Adderkit. Did we miss anyone?**

**Dawn: I loved all the kits and their descriptions. That's why I used all of them.**

**Hollyleaf: Yay, someone named a kit after me!**

**Dawn: You said that last chapter. Anyway, here's chapter 9!**

Lionblaze padded into the nursery, where Poppyfrost was nursing her kits.

"They're adorable," he told her.

"Thanks. Bet you wish you will have kits as cute as these, huh?" Poppyfrost said slyly.

"You're right," Lionblaze answered, thinking of Heathertail. He didn't quite regret breaking up with her so many moons ago, but he still wished she lived in ThunderClan.

"Lionblaze, can I talk to you for a second?" called Jayfeather. Lionblaze sighed, and padded out of the nursery.

"Behind the nursery," he heard Jayfeather hiss. He walked over to where Jayfeather was impatiently waiting.

"What?" he asked.

"We still have to ask Dovepaw and Ivypaw if they smelled deathberries on the catmint, so we have a better idea about who's the third of the Power of Three," Jayfeather answered.

"So let's do it then, instead of sitting here talking about it," Lionblaze hissed. The two toms padded out from behind the nursery.

"I'll ask Ivypaw, you ask Dovepaw," Lionblaze told Jayfeather. "We don't want them to know who favors who."

"Deal," Jayfeather answered. Lionblaze walked over to where Ivypaw was grooming herself while talking to Bumblepaw.

"May I talk to you for a second?" he asked, touching Ivypaw's shoulder with her tail.

"Sure," Ivypaw replied reluctantly.

"Come with me, then." He lead her back behind the nursery where he and Jayfeather had been a minute before.

"Now, this is very important," he began. "It could benefit all of the Clans, and could change your life in ways you'd never imagine."

"Get on with it," Ivypaw snapped impatiently.

"Were you over where the catmint was a few days ago?" he asked.

"Yes," Ivypaw replied reluctantly.

"Did you smell the deathberries on the catmint?"

"Deathberries? You mean the juice on the catmint that Firestar ate, that made him lose a life?"

"Yes. Did you smell any when you were out of camp?"

"No," Ivypaw replied calmly. She looked like she had her answer planned for ages.

"Ivypaw, I'm serious. This could be extremely important."

"Fine! Yes, I smelled the deathberries. What's it to you?"

"Because you might be the Fourth Apprentice!" Lionblaze said desperately.

"I don't want to be this 'Fourth Apprentice'! I don't want to join your little creepy group, always seeming like you're keeping a secret from the Clan, yet acting like you own the whole forest! It makes me sick!" Ivypaw hissed.

"At least let me explain," Lionblaze pleaded, but Ivypaw shook her head.

"Is Jayfeather asking Dovepaw?" she hissed.

"Yes. I know you're the Fourth Apprentice. It's your destiny," Lionblaze told her.

"My destiny? To join you and act moody and quiet, just because no one seems to like you anymore?" Ivypaw shreiked, unable to keep her frustration inside anymore.

"It's not because no one likes us! It's because my sister Hollyleaf's dead!" Lionblaze wailed like a kit.

"Fine. Tell me about Hollyleaf," Ivypaw said, calming down and looking interested.

"You know my mother is Leafpool, former medicine cat of ThunderClan. When she was young, she met _him_. Crowfeather, of WindClan. She kept it a secret that she had kits, except from her sister Squirrelflight. We found out, and Hollyleaf was so upset about her not only being halfclan, but also being the daughter of a medicine cat, that she told the Clans at a Gathering. Then everyone seemed to suddenly hate her for revealing their medicine cat's dearest secret that she raced into the tunnels and they collapsed on her," Lionblaze said miserably.

"What did Hollyleaf look like?" Ivypaw asked.

"Black as night, with holly green eyes." Ivypaw's eyes were wide with shock.

"I've met her," she told him quietly. "I've dreamed about her."

"So you lied about that too," Lionblaze hissed. "Big suprise."

"I still don't want to be this Fourth Apprentice," Ivypaw told him. "And I'm sorry about Hollyleaf, but I don't want this. I want to live a normal life, away from prophecies and stuff. I'm sorry," she said, "but StarClan will have to find another cat." With that, she backed out from behind the nursery and back into the camp.

XxXxXxXxXxX

Ivypaw shook her head in bewilderment. How could she be the Fourth Apprentice? She knew it had something to do with the prophecy in her dreams, but she didn't want to save the forest.

"Ivypaw!" Dovepaw said, coming out of the medicine cat's den.

"Hey, Dovepaw," Ivypaw replied.

"What did Lionblaze want? Jayfeather asked if I smelled the catmint, and I replied no," she told Ivypaw.

"Same here, except I told him the truth," Ivypaw whispered miserably.

"Why did you do that?"

"Lionblaze was so persistant. He told me about Hollyleaf," Ivypaw replied.

"Their dead sister?"

"Yes."

"Well--"

"Cats of ThunderClan, it is time for the Gathering!" Firestar's voice rang out accross the camp.

"Time to go," Ivypaw said. The cats called to go to the Gathering followed Firestar out of the camp.

"This is so exciting! Our first Gathering!" Dovepaw squealed excitedly.

"Well, this Gathering's going to be interesting," murmured a voice from behind the two cats. It was Jayfeather. "We'll get to see what WindClan will say."

"There's the treebridge," said Lionblaze, coming on the two apprentice's other side. "Don't slip."

"Don't worry," Ivypaw said crossly. She got on the tree trunk and slowly made herself accross the bridge. Then she and Dovepaw stepped into the clearing, where the other Clans were waiting.

**Dawn: This is going to be an interesting Gathering.**

**Dusk: Very interesting.**

**Hollyleaf: What will WindClan say?**

**Dusk: So read and review!**


	13. Author's Note Please Read

**Dawn: Attention. I am going on vacation for a week, and won't be able to update until Monday or Tuesday.**

**Dusk: So don't go PMing her saying 'Why haven't you updated in a week!?!'**

**Hollyleaf: And read her other story, 'The Lake's Funniest Home Videos, Season 1', and vote on the poll. There is a tie between two videos right now, and we need to have a winner!**

**Dawn: And just so you can't report me...**

All was quiet at the Gathering, as Onestar looked at Firestar threateningly.

"This can't be good," Dovepaw whispered to Ivypaw as Onestar raised his tail to go first. Ivypaw knew what was going to happen.

**Dawn: sorry for the suspense. I just have no time.**

**Dusk: So READ AND REVIEW!!**

**Hollyleaf: Did I lose anything this time?**

**Dusk: Nope, but you'll have all week to lose my stuff. I'll just wait.**


	14. Chapter 10: The Gathering

**Dawn: After a million years, I've finally updated!**

**Dusk: Yay!**

**Hollyleaf: Yay!**

**Dawn: And you finally get to see what WindClan has to say!**

**Dusk: Yay!**

**Hollyleaf: Yay!**

**Dawn: AND there's going to be some fun at the Gathering!**

**Dusk: Yay!**

**Hollyleaf: Yay!**

**Dawn: WILL YOU QUIT SAYING 'YAY'?**

**Dusk: Yay!**

**Hollyleaf: Yay!**

**Dawn: Anyway, R&R!**

"May I go first?" Firestar asked, ignoring Onestar's raised tail.

"Yes, you may," Russetstar told him.

"Prey has been running well in ThunderClan. We have two new apprentices, Ivypaw and Dovepaw."

Murmurs of congradulations were heard around the Clans.

"We also have two new warriors, Rosepetal and Toadspots."

Ivypaw noticed Rosepetal sitting as tall as she could, looking very smug. A wave of dislike passed through Ivypaw as she stared at the dark cream she-cat.

"There was a small battle with WindClan, but no cat was seriously injured from ThunderClan." Hisses were heard from WindClan, and Onestar started bristling furiously.

"WindClan will go next!" he hissed.

"Very well," Firestar replied, dipping his head.

"As Firestar kindly pointed out, we had a battle with ThunderClan. However, one of their apprentices killed Swallowpaw out of cold blood. It was merely a small misunderstanding. ThunderClan seemed to think we were taking their territory, and attacked. And that was when a certain apprentice--"

"Untrue!" Ivypaw found herself yowling. Heads turned in her direction.

"Ivypaw--" Firestar meowed, but Mistystar interrupted.

"Go on, Firestar. Let her tell us her version of events."

"All right. Go on, Ivypaw," Firestar replied warily.

"Um, okay," Ivypaw mumbled, regretting that yowl with every hair on her pelt. "Me, my sister Dovepaw, and our mentors, Brackenfur and Sorreltail, were on the border. Brackenfur and Sorreltail were showing us the scent markers, and warning us not to cross them. That's when four WindClan cats came to the border." She paused in embarassment. "I can name them for you. Crowfeather, Owlwhisker, Leaftail, and Swallowpaw. _They_ thought _we_ were trying to steal _their_ territory, and they attacked us. I was fighting Swallowpaw. She was clawing me to shreds, so I threw her off. Then a branch fell on top of her."

"Lies!" Onestar hissed. "Why should we believe a mere ThunderClan apprentice, the one who actually killed Swallowpaw, instead of three experienced warriors? They brought Swallowpaw home, and her throat was torn out, clearly by cat's teeth."

"But--" Ivypaw protested. "I didn't do it!"

"So are you telling me my own warriors killed her? Or bit her throat after she was dead and made a coverup story so we would hate ThunderClan?"

"I wasn't accusing them of killing Swallowpaw. I already told you, a branch killed her!"

"Well, I don't believe you." ThunderClan let out outraged hisses, and Ivypaw saw Berrynose ready to attack.

"Look at the moon!" the ShadowClan medicine cat, Flametail, yowled. Dark clouds were creeping toward the moon, threatenting to cover it.

"ShadowClan will go next," Russetstar meowed. "We have two new apprentices, Wildpaw and Runningpaw. We also have a new queen in the nursery, Dawnpetal. Finally, Flametail has taken Wildpaw as an apprentice." Ivypaw saw the small white apprentice with brown splashes looking nervous as all eyes turned to him.

"RiverClan will now go," Mistystar said. "We have three new warriros: Mallowleaf, Petalstem, and Coppershine."

"Is that it?" Firestar meowed warily.

"That is all," Mistystar replied. "The Gathering is over."

"Beware, Firestar," Ivypaw heard Onestar hiss. "The fire might've saved ThunderClan from BloodClan, but he might not be able to save them from WindClan."

"Who told you about that?" Firestar replied.

"Everyone knows you are the 'fire that saved the forest'. But that was a long time ago. Now the fire will be blown away by wind."

"Funny, you sound like StarClan," Firestar meowed coldly. Louder, he called,

"Come on, ThunderClan!" He then lead the Clan accross the tree-bridge, and back to camp.

**Dawn: That one was pretty long, but that might've been because of my terrifyingly long author's notes.**

**Dusk: Yay!**

**Hollyleaf: Yay!**

**  
Dawn: Remember to review!**


	15. Chapter 11: Hunting Patrol

**Dawn: Here's the long-awaited chapter eleven! Also, check out the poll on my profile.**

**Dusk: Hope you enjoy this chapter.**

**Hollyleaf: So read!'**

**Dusk: And!**

**Dawn: Review!**

"So what happened at the Gathering?" Ivypaw heard Toadspots asking Rosepetal excitedly.

"WindClan totally denied everything Firestar said! Then that showoff Ivypaw yowled to the whole Gathering that she wasn't a murderer, and Onestar threatened to attack us," Rosepetal answered.

"That lousy, lying mousebrain," a voice behind Ivypaw murmured. It was Bumblepaw. "She keeps trying to get me away from you."

"Well, you don't _have_ to hang out with me if you'd rather hang out with her," Ivypaw mumbled.

"No, I want to hang out with you. You're so modest, and nice. Everything that she wasn't," Bumblepaw replied. "She was always saying 'Hey Bumblepaw! Look at this fresh kill I caught! It's the biggest in the pile!' or 'Hey Bumblepaw, I took on Brambleclaw and Birchfall at the same time and won!'. Ugh, it was infuriating."

"Well, you don't deserve to be treated that way," Ivypaw mumbled, embarassed.

"Maybe you're right," he answered.

"Off to bed, you two," came Sorreltail's voice from behind them. "You both are going with me, Brightheart, Brackenfur, and Dovepaw on a hunting patrol tomorrow."

"Wow, awesome!" Ivypaw exclaimed. "I finally get to learn how to hunt!"

"So see you tomorrow, bright and early," Sorreltail meowed, padding to the warriors' den.

"Well, let's go," Bumblepaw meowed after a few seconds.

"Kay." The two apprentices padded into the apprentices' den.

"Ivypaw?" Bumblepaw began as soon as they had lay down.

"Yes?"

"Night," he murmured.

"Good night."

XxXxXxXxXxX

"Mice are one of the easiest prey to catch if you know the tecnique. Crouch down, keeping almost all of your weight on your hind paws, and creap forward like this until you are barely a cat-length from the mouse. Then leap." Sorreltail showed Dovepaw and Ivypaw, using a leaf as a pretend mouse.

"Bumblepaw, why don't you show these two with a real mouse?" Brightheart suggested.

"Okay," he replied. He sniffed the air for a few seconds, then turned in the direction of the scent. He creapt forward, keeping low to the ground, all of his weight on his hind paws. Suddenly, he dove into some bracken, reappearing seconds later with a dead mouse in his jaws.

"Good catch!" Brightheart praised. Bumblepaw kicked dirt over his catch.

"Why does he do that?" Ivypaw asked.

"To hide the scent from other predators, such as foxes and badgers," Sorreltail answered.

"Oh."

"Who'd like to go next?" Brackenfur asked.

"I would," Dovepaw answered immediately. She sniffed the air. "I can't smell anything!"

"Try the tree over there," Brackenfur hinted. Dovepaw sniffed in that direction, and a look of determination came into her eyes. She creapt forward, but she had too much weight on her forepaws and her tail was waving. The mouse, who had come out from below the tree roots, scampered away just as Dovepaw leaped.

"Fox dung!" she cursed.

"Not many apprentices can catch a mouse their first try," Brackenfur encouraged. "You'll catch it next time." He showed her how to improve her stalk.

"Ivypaw, do you want to try?" Sorreltail asked when Brackenfur commented on Dovepaw's practice. "I can take you over to the beechnut tree. Mice and squirrels go there to eat beechnuts all the time."

"Okay," Ivypaw agreed.

"Brightheart, why don't you come with us?" Sorreltail urged.

"Okay." They ran at a steady pace to the beechnut tree.

"Go for it," Sorreltail encouraged. Sniffing, she almost immediately caught the scent of mouse. She spotted it nibbling a beechnut by one of the roots. Being careful to make sure she was downwind from it, she creapt toward it, placing one paw in front of the other. Finally she leaped, feeling the warm mouse body beneath her paws. She bit its neck, feeling the satisfaction of blood coming from it.

"Good catch!" Sorreltail praised.

"Wow, you're a natural warrior! You beat me in fighting, you caught a mouse on your first try, and you've already gone to a Gathering!" Bumblepaw meowed, impressed.

"Thanks," mumbled Ivypaw, embarassed, through a mouthful of mouse.

"Let's continue hunting. Two mice isn't enough," Brightheart urged. They continued their patrol.

XxXxXxXxXxX

"You got it on your first try?" Dovepaw asked, envious. She wondered why she couldn't hunt that well.

"Yeah, but I watched and learned from your mistakes," Ivypaw answered.

"Oh, thanks," Dovepaw huffed.

"Lighten up! It's only your first day hunting!" came Briarpaw's voice from the apprentices' den. She came out. "I didn't catch my first prey until nearly a quarter moon after my training started. Mousewhisker thought I was insane!"

"Good for Mousewhisker," Dovepaw replied sourly. "I'm going to bed."

"Night, Dovepaw," Ivypaw meowed. Dovepaw didn't reply.

XxXxXxXxXxX

Jayfeather applied cobwebs to Thornclaw's pad. A particularly large thorn had been lodged in his paw, and Jayfeather had spent almost all of his day treating his patient, who kept coming in saying his cobwebs kept coming off.

"Thanks," Thornclaw meowed.

"Why don't you go take a nap? That'll keep you off of your paws for a while," Jayfeather suggested.

"I'll ask Firestar if I can be relieved of my warriors duties just for you," Thornclaw replied.

"You do that," Jayfeather answered. He heard the warrior limp out of the medicine den.

"Jayfeather! Are you okay?" came a concerned voice from outside. It was Firestar.

"I'm fine," he answered halfheartedly.

"You need a break. Go take a nap. I'll sent Brightheart in if there's anything to treat," Firestar replied.

"Okay," meowed Jayfeather. He padded over to his nest, and closed his eyes.

When he woke, he was in a dark forest. The screams of dying cats filled his ears. Several cats stalked around the dead cats. Among them was a black she-cat with green eyes.

"Hollyleaf!" Jayfeather yowled in suprise.

"Save StarClan," Hollyleaf whispered. "Save them! It's our only hope!" Jayfeather realized that he recognized some of the StarClan cats on the ground. One of them was Leafpool.

"Noo!" He yowled, before he was consumed by darkness.

**Dawn: So what do you think?**

**Dusk: Can't wait for the next chapter.**

**Hollyleaf: I am an important StarClan cat.**

**Dawn: Anyway, R&R!**


	16. Chapter 12: Earthquake

**Dawn: Yay, I updated!**

**Dusk: Finally.**

**Dawn: Hey, I updated two days ago, and wanted to update yesterday, but there was that dumb login error!**

**Dusk: I know. I'm just giving you a hard time.**

**Dawn: Aren't you supposed to be giving Hollyleaf a hard time?**

**Dusk: I can't find her anywhere!**

**Dawn: Oh well. Anyway, hope you like the chapter! I'd like some more reviews than last chapter! In this chapter, things start to get interesting! R&R!**

"WindClan attack! WindClan attack!"

Birchfall's voice sounded from the camp entrance. As he spoke, several WindClan warriors flooded into the camp, streaking after him and Graystripe.

"Get ready," a voice hissed in Ivypaw's ear. It was Sorreltail. Just as she spoke, a familiar gray warrior tackled Ivypaw. Crowfeather hissed, but before he could react, Ivypaw had slipped below his paws.

"Murderer!" Crowfeather hissed.

"I am no murderer!" Ivypaw spat. "You're the lier!" She rushed at Crowfeather, but he moved to the side, and she skidded on the rough ground.

"You're a puny apprentice with no manners! Crawl back to your den!" he hissed.

"I can fight as well as anyone," she answered. She creapt toward him, and lightning quick, slashed his muzzle. Yowling in pain, he reared up and came crashing down to where Ivypaw had been seconds before. She rolled on her back and pushed herself under Crowfeather's belly, giving it a sharp swipe as she skidded under him. He yowled and fled out of camp.

Almost immediately, his place was taken by a large apprentice that Ivypaw had seen at the Gathering. Ivypaw was pretty sure his name was Rabbitpaw.

"Why did you kill Swallowpaw?" he hissed, his eyes glazed with greif.

"I didn't!" she meowed.

"Lier. We had plenty of proof," he answered, leaping. He managed to swipe his claws accross her ear, but she delivered a blow to his side in return.

"You WindClan cats are such liars," she hissed.

"And you ThunderClan cats are such murderers," he replied, raking his claws over her back and biting her tail in almost the same move. Hissing in pain, she leaped away from his enraged figure. She leaped at him, and bit his ear, creating a small nick. He yowled and ran off.

"Ivypaw!" came a pained hiss from behind her. Dovepaw was struggling with a pale gray and white tom, yowling as he clawed her face.

"Hold on!" she yowled. She raced over to help her sister when suddenly the ground started to shake.

"What's happening?" yowled Cloudtail. "The earth is splitting apart!"

The shaking continued for several heartbeats, before it came to a slow stop.

"StarClan has spoken! This battle is unnecessary!" a WindClan she-cat meowed.

"You might be right," answered a familiar tom; Onestar. "But we all know you believe that Swallowpaw wasn't murdered, Willowclaw!"

"StarClan couldn't have been clearer! Remember when the sun vanished?"

"Why else would the earth shake?" Willowclaw hissed. "StarClan doesn't approve of this battle."

"Have it your way, Willowclaw, but I will find the truth eventually," Onestar hissed. "WindClan, retreat!"

The cats of WindClan ran out of ThunderClan camp, yowling in fear.

"That was unprovoked!" Brackenfur hissed in fury. "They know that Ivypaw didn't kill anyone!"

"At least StarClan didn't approve of the battle," Firestar meowed. "Why else would the forest shake?"

"I don't know," Brackenfur hissed. "Maybe it was a natural reaction of nature?"

"No Clan has ever seen something like this," Graystripe argued. "I agree with Firestar."

"Whatever the meaning," Firestar began, "it's over now."

XxXxXxXxXxX

Dovepaw shook her head in disbelief. Why would the earth shake like that?

"Dovepaw?" came a quiet voice from behind her. It was Blazekit.

"Hi, Blazekit," she replied.

"Why did the earth shake like that?" he asked.

"I don't know," she replied, shaking her head. "I really don't know."

"Dovepaw, guess what?" he said, suddenly much more cheerful.

"What?"

"I turn six moons in a quarter moon! I'm almost an apprentice!"

"Good for you!" she said, suddenly cheered. Then she remembered: If Blazekit was joining the apprentices, so was Lichenkit.

"What?" Blazekit asked, seeing the change in her mood.

"Lichenkit," she replied sourly. "He keeps getting on my nerves, asking me to hang out with him while I'm either hanging out with you or when I'm busy. You'd think that he knew that I like you and not him by now!"

"Lichenkit's just annoying," Blazekit replied happily. "He bugs me too, asking why you like me more than him."

"Well, I should probably go to the medicine cat's den," Dovekit meowed. "That tom was clawing me to shreds, and Jayfeather still hasn't given me anything to stop infection yet."

"Okay," Blazekit mewed, looking disappointed. "See ya around?"

"Bye," she meowed, padding away. She got to the medicine den entrance, where Ivypaw was talking with Bumblepaw.

"Hey, Ivypaw," she meowed cheerfully. Ivypaw looked at her in suprise. Dovepaw felt a little guilty for her jealousy the previous day.

"Dovepaw, come in! You haven't been treated yet!" a voice came from inside the medicine den. Jayfeather poked his head out, beckoning to her with his tail.

"Hi, Jayfeather," she meowed. He began chewing a wierd yellow herb, and applied it to her wounds. That was followed with cobwebs.

"Now go to your den and take a nap," Jayfeather ordered. "I don't want you coming back saying the cobwebs fell off.''

"Yes, Jayfeather," she sighed. She padded to the apprentice's den, and slowly sank into unconsiousness.

**Dawn: So how do you like it?**

**Dusk: I personally love the story, but do the reviewers?**

**Dawn: I hope so. This chapter was boring after the battle, but I wanted to let it be known that Blazekit's almost an apprentice.**

**Dusk: So happy Dovepaw, jealous Ivypaw.**

**Dawn: Ivypaw won't be so jealous now that she has Bumblepaw.**

**Hollyleaf: Hi, what did I miss?**

**Dawn: Just an entire chapter.**

**Hollyleaf: Sorry! You're not the only ones who use me to announce your chapters.**

**Dusk: So now more people suddenly decided to like you?**

**Hollyleaf: Okay, I lied. I was hunting. Besides, it's not my fault that everyone calls me a rules freak!**

**Dawn: So lay off the warrior code. Anyway, vote on my poll on my profile! R&R!**


	17. Chapter 13: Meeting

**Dawn: Here's chapter 13. It's pretty boring, but you see some LionIceness in this chapter.**

**Dusk: Yeah, and two apprentices are given new mentors for the sake of all the kits who were sent in.**

**Hollyleaf: AND two kits are made into apprentices.**

**Dawn: So read and review to tell me what you think. I DON'T CARE IF YOU ALWAYS REVIEW! I WANT MORE REVIEWS! please? *puppy dog face***

**Dusk: You're a cat.**

**Dawn: Right. *kitty cat face* R&R**

Lionblaze was dreaming. A she-cat was padding along the shore of the lake. Her sky-blue eyes surveyed his stance with warmth.

"Lionblaze," she whispered. "I love you."

"I love you too, Heathertail," Lionblaze replied. Suddenly, Heathertail's eyes flashed crimson, and they burned with rage.

"But you betrayed me. Your heart belonged to ThunderClan, not me. I can't forgive you after that."

"Heathertail!" Lionblaze yowled, but he was slowly coming to his senses. Or so he thought. A familiar black she-cat was standing next to him, her green eyes flashing with concern.

"She's all you think about, huh?" Hollyleaf asked.

"No," Lionblaze protested, but Hollyleaf's glare silenced him.

"You're breaking the warrior code. You must not fall for Heathertail. Instead, focus your loyalties on your Clan." The vision was fading. Lionblaze jerked awake. A quarter moon had passed since the battle with WindClan, and he had dreamed of Heathertail almost every night after that. He remembered her attacking him, her blue eyes, although not turning crimson, flashing as she tried to claw him.

"Lionblaze!" a she-cat's voice meowed. Lionblaze remembered his sister's warning, and padded out, nearly running into Icestorm.

"Hi, Icestorm," he meowed.

"What's up?" she asked lightly. Lionblaze looked into her deep blue eyes. Maybe Icestorm was a good mate for him. After all, she was kind, polite, a great hunter, and looked like she really liked him.

"Want to share a piece of fresh-kill with me?" he asked suddenly.

"I'd like that," she replied happily. They padded over to the fresh-kill pile. Icestorm chose a plump rabbit, and they began eating.

"So how's life going?" Lionblaze asked casually.

"Wonderful. Except Foxfang is still mourning over Hollyleaf. He loved her, you know," Icestorm replied. Lionblaze flinched at the sound of his sister's name.

"Sorry," Icestorm murmured at his expression. "I hit a soft spot, didn't I?"

"Don't worry about it," he growled. "Hollyleaf's dead. I can't let that keep me living my life."

"You're right," Icestorm answered. "I liked Hollyleaf, even though she betrayed Leafpool. She was a good cat."

"Yeah...." Lionblaze trailed off. Suddenly, Cloudtail padded over to them, looking gleeful.

"What is it, Cloudtail?" Icestorm asked.

"Brightheart. She's moving to the nursery tonight," he answered, looking like he was about to burst with happiness.

"She's having another litter?" Icestorm asked in suprise.

"Jayfeather predicted at least four kits. That will be nice, since we only have one kit right now. Remember Sparrowkit? He was born dead. Poor Whitewing. She'll finally have siblings!"

"Wonderful," Icestorm purred. She glanced at Lionblaze momentarily, then looked back at Cloudtail.

"Well, I heard that Sorreltail's back in the nursery too," she remarked. "And Squirrelflight wants more kits after Blazekit and Lichenkit are out of the nursery. I think their ceremony's today."

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here beneath the Highledge for a Clan meeting!"

"Perfect timing," Icestorm laughed. She padded over next to the Highledge. Lionblaze followed her.

"Today is a great day for ThunderClan. Two kits are ready to become apprentices. Blazekit, Lichenkit, step up to the Highledge, please," Firestar meowed.

"Yay! We're becoming apprentices!" Lionblaze heard Lichenkit mew to Blazekit.

"From this day forward, until he earns his warrior name, this cat shall be known as Lichenpaw," Firestar meowed. "Cinderheart, this will be your first apprentice, but you're a strong and courageous warrior. I expect you to pass your skills onto this apprentice." Lichenkit padded down and touched noses with his new mentor.

"From this day forward, until he earns his warrior name, this cat shall be known as Blazepaw. Icestorm, you are one of the best hunters in the Clan. Pass on your ability to Blazepaw."

"Congradulations!" Lionblaze meowed to Icestorm.

"Next, two warriors moved into the nursery, and are unable to complete the training of two of our apprentices. Bumblepaw, your new mentor will be Thornclaw. Thornclaw, you are a strong, confident warrior. Do your best to complete Bumblepaw's training. Ivypaw, your new mentor will be Brambleclaw. Listen to him well, for he is an excellent warrior."

"The meeting is over." Firestar leaped off of the Highledge.

"Come on, Blazepaw. Let's go see the forest," Icestorm meowed.

"I'm going to be the best warrior ever!" Blazepaw mewed.

"I'll bet you will. Lionblaze, would you like to join us?" Icestorm asked.

"No thanks, I promised Jayfeather I'd help him sort herbs," Lionblaze lied.

"Okay, then. Bye." Lionblaze went to the medicine den, where Blossompaw was sorting herbs.

"Hey, Blossompaw," Lionblaze meowed. "Do you know where Jayfeather is?"

"Out collecting herbs," she replied, not looking up. "He told me to tell you that he's over by the Sky Oak, and he wants you to come immediately."

"Okay, thanks Blossompaw," Lionblaze meowed. He padded out of the medicine den, and out of camp.

When he got to the Sky Oak, Jayfeather was patientily waiting.

"So, what happened while I was gone?" he asked.

"Blazepaw and Lichenpaw were made into apprentices, and Ivypaw and Bumblepaw got new mentors because both Brightheart and Sorreltail are in the nursery."

"That's great," Jayfeather replied. "Lionblaze, I need to tell you something."

"What?"

"Yesterday I was in the medicine den, and Cinderheart came in. She told me to meet her here, so I agreed. We came, and she told me she had something important to say."

"Go on," Lionblaze meowed, feeling nervous.

"Lionblaze, _she said she loves me_."

**Dawn: Left you with a cliffhanger, didn't I?**

**Hollyleaf: Aw, I want to know what happens!**

**Falconwing: Me too!**

**Dawn: Hey, you're not supposed to be here! You're supposed to be in The Lake's Funniest Home Videos, Season 2!**

**Falconwing: I decided I wanted to follow Hollyleaf, and she came here.**

**Dusk: Get back in your own story.**

**Dawn: Anyway, R&R!**


	18. Chapter 14: Jayfeather's Secret Love

**Dawn: Ahhh don't kill me! I totally ran out of time once school started!**

**Dusk: And most adolescents on this site know how painful schoolwork is.**

**Hollyleaf: School?**

**Dawn: Technically we're still under apprenticeship.**

**Hollyleaf: So you're really Dawnpaw and Duskpaw?**

**Dawn: in the Twoleg world, we don't change our names, thank you.**

**Hollyleaf: Whatever.**

**Dawn: Anyway, let chapter… I think it's 14? Begin!**

Jayfeather flinched when he saw the look of utter disbelief cross his brother's face.

"But… you're a medicine cat," Lionblaze breathed at last.

"I know. That's why I want to talk to you. Lionblaze, what should I do? I think I love her too, and that's why I can't turn her down. But I also want to do my duty as a medicine cat. Lionblaze, I'm confused."

"Jayfeather, you know you can't fall in love with a warrior. You know that!"

"I know, but I think she and I are destined to be together. I have to tell you something important."

"Another thing of utter importance," Lionblaze growled.

"She's the reincarnation of Cinderpelt, our medicine cat before Leafpool. She crippled her leg, and StarClan sent her back when she died because her destiny was to be a warrior."

"So I'm just supposed to walk away when I know my brother's breaking the warrior code?" Lionblaze demanded.

"Thanks for reminding me, Hollyleaf. I happen to remember a certain cat meeting a certain WindClan apprentice by the border not too many moons back," Jayfeather hissed. He could tell Lionblaze flinched at the sound of their dead sister's name, and of his meetings with Heathertail.

"My days with Heathertail are over," Lionblaze snapped. "Now I think you should either choose between the good of your Clan or the good of yourself. Your decision." With that, he strode off into the forest.

"Jayfeather!" a very familiar voice called not long after Lionblaze left. Suddenly, he could see.

"Hollyleaf!" he gasped as he saw his shimmering sister padding toward him.

"I know you love Cinderheart, and have always known you held a soft spot for her before she told you the truth of her love."

"So what? You think I should just follow Lionblaze's advice?" Jayfeather hissed bitterly.

"I died because I felt like I was doing the right thing for my Clan. Even I'm not all that rules rules cat you thought I was. Otherwise, why would I have killed Ashfur? For the good of the Clan and for the good of us, not for the good of the warrior code," Hollyleaf mewed. Jayfeather could hardly believe that his sister was telling him it was okay to break the warrior code.

"But you always said the warrior code was everything when you were alive," Jayfeather breathed.

"I believed that strongly when I was an apprentice. But when I decided the only way to get Ashfur to not spill our secret was to kill him, and that's what I did. Because it was the right thing to do."

"Oh, Hollyleaf. I miss you so much," Jayfeather moaned.

"There's one more thing, Jayfeather," Hollyleaf whispered as she began to fade.

"What?"

"Just like Cinderheart, I had a different destiny. You may find that you will see me even sooner than you expect." With that, the darkness of Jayfeather's vision returned.

"Jayfeather!" someone familiar called.

"Cinderheart," he purred.

"Who were you talking to just then?" Cinderheart asked.

"I had a vision," Jayfeather confessed. "Of Hollyleaf."

"I miss her," Cinderheart murmured.

"Almost everyone in the Clan does," he answered. "With the exception of Leafpool's best buddies."

"Who would that be?" Cinderheart inquired.

"Most of the other Clans. They felt that Leafpool was betrayed."

"And who told you that?"

"Willowshine told me at the last gathering that her Clan wasn't mourning over Hollyleaf at all."

"Do you love Willowshine too?" Cinderheart asked suddenly.

"No! Willowshine has never treated me like an equal, just a follower. I could never love her like I do you," Jayfeather gasped.

"How long did you love me before I told you?" Cinderheart asked.

"I always had a soft spot for you," Jayfeather answered, quoting Hollyleaf.

"Haha," Cinderheart purred with amusement. "We should go back to camp before we're missed."

"Good idea," Jayfeather answered. The two started to head back.

"We'd better arrive in at different times so we don't arouse suspicion," Jayfeather breathed as they neared the camp.

"You go in first. You'll more likely to be missed than I am, since you've been out longer."

"Okay," Jayfeather answered. "Bye."

"See you soon," She whispered. Jayfeather strode into the camp.

Ivypaw waited for Brambleclaw to appear from Firestar's den. She was proud to have the deputy as her mentor, but she wished that Sorreltail didn't decide to move into the nursery in the middle of her training.

"Well, hopefully StarClan will send a sign. Who knows what's in store for the Clans?" she heard Firestar's voice from his den. "Now go train your new apprentice." Seconds later, the deputy padded out of the den.

"So I'm stuck with you for the next two moons or so," Brambleclaw teased.

"Hey, it wasn't my fault that—" Ivypaw was cut off.

"Hey, I was just teasing," he meowed lightheartedly. "I hear you're a good fighter and hunter. You just might make the warrior scale before some other apprentices in your den if you keep that up. Do you know how to fight badgers yet?"

"No, Sorreltail has only trained me to fight cats and foxes," Ivypaw answered.

"So let's go to the training hollow." Without another word, he broke into a run out of camp. Blinking, she followed him. Faster and faster she ran, until she was almost keeping pace with the bigger cat.

"You have good stamina," he panted when they reached the training hollow.

"Thanks," she puffed.

"So let's start training," he meowed. "Before we start, let's do a little review. If I'm coming up behind you, and you're already fighting a warrior, how do you react if I attack you?"

"Try to avoid fighting two cats at once, especially if they're bigger than you," Ivypaw replied.

"And if you're partner fighting?"

"One stays and fights the original cat, one fends off the attacker."

"Good job. I'll do a little fighting assessment tomorrow with you, Dovepaw, and Brackenfur. Now, I'm a badger, and I'm attacking the nursery. What do you do?"

"Wouldn't I aim for a badger's broad back?"

"No, the best place to hit a badger would be their sensitive faces. Their backs can take a great amount of damage before they give in, but a few facial blows will send them running!"

"Okay," Ivypaw meowed.

"Now attack me as if I was a badger." Ivypaw leaped, and faked what she was going to do. She dropped to one side as Brambleclaw leaped out at her with outstretched paws, and landed with a heavy thump. She immediately rushed over and pinned him down, exposing his face and belly.

"Very good. You're an even better fighter than me!" Brambleclaw praised, shaking the dust off of his pelt. "Let's continue." They trained until sunset, until finally Brambleclaw said,

"I've had enough for today. We'll do a mock hunting assessment tomorrow." They then headed back to camp.

**Dawn: Kind of short, I know, but still okay plotline?**

**Dusk: We got to see some JayxCinderness, didn't we?**

**Hollyleaf: Traitors breaking the warrior code.**

**Dawn: Hey, I made you say that you weren't a warrior code freak anymore. Why don't you act as nice as you do in the story?**

**Hollyleaf: Cuz it's fun to annoy you two.**

**Dusk: I'm gonna kill you! *takes out chainsaw***

**Hollyleaf: Okay! Okay! I'll be nice.**

**Burt: I got a big huge single-shot Grizzly Big Boar 50 caliber BMG gun if you want it.**

**Dawn: Burt! Wrong story! You're supposed to be in Tremors!**

**Burt: Okay, okay. Just wondering if you wanted to kill that Graboid there.**

**Hollyleaf: What's that?**

**Burt: Holy crap! It talks!**

**Dawn: what?**

**Burt: The Graboid!**

**Dusk: That's Hollyleaf. A cat.**

**Dawn: He must be paranoid. Sorry for the long author's note.**


	19. Chapter 15: Hollykit

**Dawn: Yay, chapter 15!**

**Hollyleaf: finally. I was stuck being chased by Burt in Echoes over the Valley way too long.**

**Burt: Yeah, well, you're a rules freak and I hate rules. The Feds...**

**Dawn: Are out to get you, yes, we all know. Don't you have some graboid invasion or investigation of a dead body from Mixmaster to observe?**

**Burt: Actually, yes. There was an attack about three miles from Perfection Valley. They think it was a shrieker, but Dr. Casey Matthews is looking at the remains as we speak to see if it's Mixmaster.**

**Hollyleaf: Speaking of which, where's Dusk?**

**Dawn: out getting Burt and I Grabaccinos from Perfection. Anyway, R&R!!**

Two moons later, Ivypaw woke to the fearful shouting of Cloudtail.

"Brightheart's kits are coming! Someone, get Jayfeather!"

"The kits are coming already? By the time Sorreltail's kits come, the nursery's going to be jam-packed with kits," Bumblepaw moaned.

"More kits mean more apprentices, which mean more warriors," Ivypaw meowed.

"Speaking of warriors, did you know my ceremony is today?" Bumblepaw meowed triumphantly.

"Really? No, I didn't know that! Congratulations!" Ivypaw praised.

"Yeah, Thornclaw told Firestar that my ceremony is long overdue," Bumblepaw remarked.

"How many moons have you been training?" Ivypaw asked.

"Almost five."

"Wow! Most cats only need four moons of training at maximum, depending on their skill level," Ivypaw meowed.

"Yeah, I know. How long have you been training now?"

"About two and a half moons, but Brambleclaw keeps telling Firestar to make me a warrior now. He thinks I'll be ready to fight in real battles and lead patrols, no problem, but Firestar keeps telling him that being a warrior's more than hunting and fighting. He says it's all about experience, and won't let me be a warrior until I'm at least three and a half moons old," Ivypaw complained.

"Sorry about that," Bumblepaw sympathized.

"It's okay."

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the Highledge for a Clan meeting!" Firestar's voice rang out.

"Talk about perfect timing," Bumblepaw meowed. "Funny, that's the second time we've been talking about someone's ceremony and then Firestar called for the ceremony to begin."

"Good luck! Can't wait to hear your warrior name!" Ivypaw meowed as he left the den. She padded slowly after him.

"Today is a day for celebration, for two apprentices are ready to receive their warrior names," Firestar began. "Bumblepaw, Briarpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code, and protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

"I do," Briarpaw meowed, her voice quivering.

"I do," Bumblepaw meowed, much calmer.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior names. Briarpaw, from this moment on, you will be known as Briarthorn. StarClan honors your courage and your energy, and we welcome you as a full warrior of Thunder Clan." After Briarthorn licked his shoulder, he turned to Bumblepaw.

"Bumblepaw, from this moment on, you will be known as Bumbleclaw. StarClan honors your intelligence and your loyalty, and we welcome you as a full warrior of Thunder Clan."

"According to tradition, you will guard the camp through the night in silent vigil, under the stars in Silverpelt. Also, I have another announcement. Brightheart's kits have arrived, and their names are Hollykit, Falconkit, Maplekit, and Cloudkit. The meeting is over." With that, Firestar leaped off the Highledge.

XxXxXxXxXxX

Jayfeather stared after Firestar in horror. He couldn't believe Brightheart had named her kit after his dead sister.

"Come on," he hissed to Lionblaze. "Let's go visit the kits." They padded to the nursery, where Brightheart was suckling four kits.

"Hi, Brightheart," Jayfeather meowed, trying to sound casual.

"Come to visit the kits?" she asked.

"Yes."

"You've already seen the kits," Cloudtail complained. "You delivered them, for StarClan's sake!"

"I know," Jayfeather snapped. "Which ones are which?"

"The tortoiseshell she-cat is Maplekit. The silver tom is Falconkit. The white she-cat with ginger flecks is Cloudkit, and the black and white she-cat is Hollykit." As she spoke, Hollykit wriggled in her nest and tried to get closer to Brightheart's belly.

"Hollykit," Jayfeather hissed, forgetting that he was going to play it cool.

"You don't like that I named a kit after your dead sister, huh?" Brightheart meowed quietly.

"Did you have to do that? It hasn't even been a full season cycle, and already there's another Hollykit in the Clan. Do you know that Lionblaze and I are still mourning?"

"Woah, Jayfeather. Calm down," Lionblaze meowed.

"I'm sorry, but StarClan has already seen the kits names among their ranks. I can't change it."

"And why the heck did you name a kit after your own mate?" Jayfeather hissed.

"Because no cat has ever done that before, and I thought it would be special," Brightheart replied.

"I'm going to my den," Jayfeather meowed. He then turned tail and whisked out of the nursery.

XxXxXxXxXxX

"What's up with him?" Brightheart asked.

"He took Hollyleaf's death the hardest. I think that didn't help that you named your kit after our sister like that," Lionblaze replied, his heart aching. "Not much in his life has gone right recently. He wanted to be a warrior, but StarClan gave him a different destiny. Then his sister dies in a rockfall, and then his own mentor dies. He's not the happiest cat in the world, I don't think."

"I know what losing loved ones feels like," Brightheart meowed. "And I know what it's like to be told I could never be a warrior. But sometimes you just have to get over it and move on."

"You don't understand," Lionblaze said to himself.

"What?"

"Nothing," he replied quickly. "I'm going to go after Jayfeather."

XxXxXxXxXxX

Jayfeather was dreaming again, knowing this because he could see. He was in the medicine den when Leafpool came in and told him to sort herbs. He went over to where the borage leaves were usually stocked, but instead found an odd-shaped leaf that had sharp edges on it. He touched it with one paw, but all of the sudden his paw swelled up painfully.

"Leafpool! It hurts!" he wailed.

"Just like losing Hollyleaf," Leafpool remarked. Jayfeather then realized that it came from a holly bush.

"What do you want?" he hissed.

"To tell you something that was told to me long ago. I was supposed to have a destiny greater than any medicine cat before me, just as Hollyleaf was supposed to be one of the Three. What you didn't realize, Jayfeather, was that Hollyleaf was actually the most powerful of you all."

"She didn't have any powers!" Jayfeather protested.

"I know. I think that if you look among your Clan, you will find that your mourning will be over. You just have to look. And you may find that even my destiny isn't over yet." With that, the vision began to fade. Not far away, a pair of bright green eyes opened for the first time.

**Dawn: So, how do you like it?**

**Dusk: Sorry to all you who were complaining about her killing off Leafpool.**

**Dawn: But like she said, her destiny isn't over yet. I had plans about this from the start.**

**Hollyleaf: You left them with another cliffhanger.**

**Dawn: I know. Hey, Dusk, may I have my Grabaccino now?**

**Dusk: Sure.**

**Hollyleaf: What is a Grabaccino?**

**Dawn: A version of a Cappuccino, that was made in Perfection Valley by Jodi Chang, the general store owner. Watch the Tremors: The Series show, I think the episode is called Flora or Fauna, (I might be wrong) on iTunes or YouTube to find more. It's hilarious! And also, if you like guts and gore, it's a great horror sci-fi movie!**

**Dusk: Truly, it's an awesome TV show. And don't forget to see the movies as well!**

**Dawn: speaking of which, where's Burt? He needs to get his Grabaccino!**

**Burt: I was off practicing with my Grizzly Big Boar.**

**Dawn: Here's your Grabaccino. Anyway, R&R, and sorry for the long author's note!**


	20. Chapter 16: Joining at Last

**Dawn: I have officially decided to add another POV: Hollykit! Ooo, this is gonna be fun!**

**Dusk: Oh yeah, Dawn, you rock.**

**Hollyleaf: Can I tell them? Can I?**

**Dawn and Dusk: NOOO!**

**Hollyleaf: Okay, sheesh.**

**Burt: Hey, Hollyleaf, want to learn how to use an elephant gun?**

**Hollyleaf: I'm a cat.**

**Burt: Whatever.**

Hollykit opened her eyes, yawned, and got to her paws. She padded outside the nursery after looking carefully around for her mother, who was nowhere near.

"Hollykit! Good morning!" she heard a cat meow. A ginger she-cat was sitting next to a dark tabby tom.

"Who are you?" she asked.

"I'm Squirrelflight, and this is Brambleclaw," Squirrelflight meowed. "Welcome to ThunderClan."

"Thanks," the small kit mewed. "Can I meet the other cats?"

"Sure," Squirrelflight meowed. "Right this way." She beckoned to the small kit with her tail, and Hollykit followed.

"This is Jayfeather," she said, indicating at a small gray tom with large, staring eyes. "He's our medicine cat."

"Hi, Jayfeather," Hollykit meowed.

"Hollykit," he meowed, his eyes narrowing in a hint of malice.

"Jayfeather's blind," Squirrelflight remarked quietly. His ears twitched angrily.

"Hey, Jayfeather," a voice called. It was a handsome golden tom.

"That's Lionblaze, Jayfeather's brother," Squirrelflight told her.

"Okay," she replied. "Hi, Lionblaze." The golden tom surveyed her with the same coldness as his brother.

"Squirrelflight, why don't you take her to meet Ivypaw?" Lionblaze suggested abruptly.

"Okay," she replied, looking at him in confusion. "Why Ivypaw in particular?"

"She likes kits," Jayfeather replied quickly.

"Okay, fine," Squirrelflight meowed. She lead Hollykit toward a tree stump.

XxXxXxXxXxX

Ivypaw saw Squirrelflight and a small kit padding toward her right after finishing her meal.

"Hi, Squirrelflight. Is this one of Brightheart's new kits?" she asked.

"Yes. This is Hollykit," Squirrelflight meowed. "I was introducing her to some of the cats in the Clan."

"Hi, Hollykit," Ivypaw said.

"Hi," she replied in a cute, slightly high voice.

"Is this your first time out of the nursery?"

"No, I went out with my mother this morning," Hollykit replied.

"Well, welcome to ThunderClan," Ivypaw meowed. "You are very welcome."

"Not according to Lionblaze and Jayfeather," the kit meowed bitterly.

"What happened?" Ivypaw asked Squirrelflight.

"I'll let her tell you," Squirrelflight meowed. "In the meantime, I'm going to see where Brambleclaw disappeared to." She padded off.

"So, what happened, Hollykit?" Ivypaw asked.

"They were being mean to me. They were looking at me like I was made of mousedung," the kit meowed sadly.

"Sorry. They're grumpy, annoying, ungrateful, suspicious toms," Ivypaw hissed. Hollykit brightened.

"Thanks, Ivypaw! You're a good friend!" The kit then ran back to the nursery.

"She's adorable, isn't she?" Dovepaw meowed from behind Ivypaw.

"Completely. Don't sneak up on me like that again!" Ivypaw hissed.

"Okay, miss grumpy," her sister growled.

"Why are you calling me names?"

"Because you're so snappish today," Dovepaw replied, her fur bristling.

"Come on, you scared the mousedung out of me!" Ivypaw hissed.

"Whatever. I'm going to look for Blazepaw," Dovepaw snapped. She stalked off.

"Be that way," Ivypaw hissed. She decided to go find Jayfeather and Lionblaze and ask them why they had been so mean to Hollykit. She spotted them in front of the medicine cat's den. The two toms seemed to be arguing.

"You two," she hissed. They looked surprised. "In the medicine den, now." Despite her tone, Jayfeather and Lionblaze looked hopeful, even desperate.

"So," she started as soon as they followed her into the medicine cat's den. "Tell me why you were so mean to Hollykit."

"Mean to Hollykit? Where did you get this foxdung?" Lionblaze hissed.

"She told me herself. She said word for word you were looking at her like she was make of mousedung," Ivypaw snapped. "What do you have to say?"

"That we were looking at her perfectly normal," Lionblaze snapped.

"No, Ivypaw is right, as I've been trying to tell you. We were giving too much away when we were looking at her."

"What?" Ivypaw meowed.

"She has no right to know your suspicions," Lionblaze meowed.

"She has every right to know," Jayfeather replied. "She's the Fourth Apprentice, remember?"

"Right. But she won't accept it!" Lionblaze replied, his fur bristling.

"Tell me what?" Ivypaw all but screamed.

"That we think that StarClan was hinting something when they called you the Fourth Apprentice," Jayfeather replied. "There can be no Fourth Apprentice unless there's a Power of Three, because them that apprentice would be called the Third Apprentice."

"So you what, think Hollyleaf's still alive? I've seen her in dreams!"

"No, we don't think that. You may not know, but Cinderheart's the reincarnation of Cinderpelt, the medicine cat before Leafpool."

"So? You think Cinderheart's one of the Three?"

"No. We think that Hollykit is the reincarnation of Hollyleaf."

"Oh, really," Ivypaw scoffed. "She's just a sweet, innocent kit. If she's the reincarnation of Hollyleaf, why isn't she coming to you and going, 'Hey, Jayfeather and Lionblaze, I'm your reincarnated sister!'?"

"Because when a cat is reincarnated, they don't know that they had a past life."

"So if Hollykit is really Hollyleaf, you think she's one of us?"

"Yes, we do think that," Jayfeather replied.

"Oh," Ivypaw answered. "So why were you looking at her like that?"

"Jayfeather doesn't like that Brightheart named her kit after Hollyleaf," Lionblaze replied. "I don't like it much myself."

"But how do you know that StarClan didn't tell Brightheart to do that? Just because they wanted to make her a reincarnation?"

"We don't. We just don't like it."

"Fine," Ivypaw snapped. "I'm going to see her."

"Wait!" Jayfeather meowed abruptly. "You don't know about everything."

"Foxdung right I don't know everything!" Ivypaw hissed.

"Well, let's start from the beginning. First of all, when we were apprentices, we realized that Jayfeather possessed an unusual talent. He could enter cats' dreams."

"That's impossible," Ivypaw scoffed.

"Wait, let me finish. One time, he entered Firestar's dream and heard an old tom telling Firestar a prophecy: _There will be three, kin of your kin, who hold the power of the stars in their paws._"

"I head that once, but it was longer," Ivypaw sulked.

"Exactly. The Three were me, Jayfeather, and Hollyleaf," Lionblaze meowed. "Then Hollyleaf came to Jayfeather in a dream only a few moons ago and told him the same prophecy, except there was an extra part: _There will be three, kin of your kin, who hold the power of the stars in their paws. But only when one perishes, a fourth shall be born, and guide the Clans through the bloodshed to come_."

"That's the full version," Ivypaw reluctantly admitted.

"Well, we think that it isn't," Jayfeather added. "We think that there's something about a Third being reincarnated."

"But that's the only thing StarClan told us," Ivypaw meowed in frustration.

"Just wait. They didn't tell us everything the first time anyway," Jayfeather meowed. "Maybe they still haven't told us the full version."

"Okay," Ivypaw meowed. "So I'm part of a prophecy. It's not just a club. I get it now."

"So you'll join us? And help us find out if Hollykit is really Hollyleaf?"

"Okay," Ivypaw replied. Suddenly excitement boiled in her like a volcano. She was part of a prophecy! She decided to go find Hollykit. Little did she know that two pairs of jealous eyes watched her as she padded out of the den, and that a plot of horror would be unleashed in the forest very, very soon.

**Dawn: I love cliffhangers. By the way, I already know that the Erins want to make Dovepaw the Fourth Apprentice. But remember, this is MY version.**

**Dusk: Too true.**

**Burt: Off to go shoot my latest Graboid gun! It's a--**

**Dawn: We don't care. Anyway, R&R!! I'll update this weekend unless I go somewhere!**


	21. Chapter 17: A Talking FOX!

**Dawn: I'm trying to update all my stories at once right now, and it's hard! So don't kill me for not updating!**

**Dusk: Schoolwork has been horrible lately. The good news is that we have two new pals to announce our stories with us other than Hollyleaf and Burt: Please welcome Zakuro and Kish!**

**Kish: Hi.**

**Zakuro: Whatever.**

**Dawn: Don't give me that, Zakuro! After all, I'm being you for Halloween!**

**Zakuro: Goody goody.**

**Kish: Can we get with the story already? I'm so bored, and this planet's so hot. Stupid humans.**

**Zakuro: Are you kidding? I can totally take you.**

**Kish: Well, we were here first.**

**Zakuro: Mew Zakuro, METAMORPHO-SIS! *turns into Mew Zakuro* Ribbon Zakuro Pure!**

**Kish: *teleports away***

**Dawn: Look on my profile to see what that was about if you didn't get it. Oh yeah, and I forgot something really important, and I will do this once and only once.**

**DISCLAIMER: However much my stories sound like Erin Hunter (lol) I am not and never will be her. I am my own self and one day I will be just as great as her, but currently I am not, so you'll have to wait.**

**Dawn: Here's the story, and sorry for the long Author's Note.**

Hollykit was in the nursery, playing with a ball of moss. Suddenly, there was a voice from outside the nursery.

"Don't push!"

"Gingerkit, shut up! She'll hear us!"

"Will you guys stop bickering?"

"Go away, Gingerkit! We don't want you here!"

"Why are you so mean, Honeykit! Bluekit and I were here first!"

"Who's there?" Hollykit called out softly.

"See? I told you she'd hear us," a voice snapped. "Let's go say hi." Just then, out of nowhere, three kits tumbled into the nursery.

"Hi, I'm Honeykit, and this is Bluekit and Gingerkit," the first, a large golden she-cat meowed.

"Why were you spying on me?" Hollykit asked. The three kits exchanged glances.

"We were spying on you because Bluekit here thinks you're cute," Gingerkit, a ginger tabby she-cat, replied.

"Were not!" Bluekit, a blue-gray tom, protested.

"Yeah, that's why you came to me in the first place!" Honeykit snapped. "You told me you didn't want her to find you alone, and that's why you wanted company!"

"And I overheard, and came to join!" Gingerkit piped in.

"Stupid she-cats," Bluekit grumbled. He stalked out of the nursery.

"Sorry about our brother," Gingerkit apologized. "He's a grumpy furball."

"He's kinda cute," Hollykit purred.

"Get outta the forest!" Honeykit gasped. "You like him too?"

"I only said--" Hollykit protested defensively, but the two she-cats were staring at her with gaping mouths. "Oh, never mind."

XxXxXxXxXxX

Dovepaw watched her sister go away with anger. Her, part of a prophecy? And what was that all about with Hollykit? She decided to take action right away.

XxXxXxXxXxX

Ivypaw saw Hollykit talking with two other kits, Honeykit and Gingerkit. Suddenly the two she-cats froze, and Hollykit looked confused.

"Hey, guys, what's up?" Ivypaw asked the three kits.

"Hollykit has a crush on Bluekit!" Honeykit exclaimed.

"Untrue!" Hollykit protested.

"You said he was cute," Gingerkit smirked.

"Cute, yes, but that doesn't mean he's nice!" Hollykit snapped.

"Whatever," Honeykit meowed. "Hey, let's all be best friends!"

"Okay," Hollykit agreed. "And we can all be warriors together when I become the greatest warrior in the forest!"

"No, I'm the greatest warrior in the forest!" Honeykit protested.

"No me!" Gingerkit squealed.

"You're a loser!" Honeykit meowed, pouncing on top of her sister. The three kits wrestled for a while, so Ivypaw decided to find Bumbleclaw.

"Bye, guys," she called. She found Bumbleclaw eating a mouse near the warrior's den.

"Hey, there," she meowed.

"Hi, Ivypaw," Bumbleclaw replied. "Want to share?"

"Sure," Ivypaw meowed happily. She took a bite.

"So how's life for you, Ivypaw?" Bumbleclaw said casually.

"Great. I just found out that Lionblaze and Jayfeather were rude to Hollykit, so I totally took them down," she laughed.

"Good one," he grinned.

"I know, right?"

"So, you want to go hunting with me?"

"Ooo, yes!" Ivypaw meowed eagerly. "Let's go!" They finished the mouse, then left the camp.

"Kind of quiet, huh?" Bumbleclaw remarked. "Almost unnatural. The birds are not chirping like normal."

"That's weird," Ivypaw replied. She felt like something was watching her. As they neared the Sky Oak, a weird growling was heard from the bushes.

"What...?" she started, but was cut off as something barreled into her. She swiped her claws across its muzzle, and got up. It was a fox, a beautiful ginger she-fox.

"Wait!" the fox yipped as Ivypaw and Bumbleclaw prepared to attack. "I'm a friend!"

"You speak cat?" Ivypaw meowed in suprise.

"All foxes speak cat. We've just never revealed it to cats until... well until three moons ago."

"What's your name, fox?" Bumbleclaw hissed.

"I'm Spark. I came to warn the cats of LightningClan that a danger is approaching."

"LightningClan?"

"Did I get the term wrong? I knew I couldn't hear them properly," Spark murmured to herself. "It's ThunderClan, right?"

"Yeah. What do foxes want with ThunderClan?"

"A white and brown tom with long fur came to our camp three moons ago, claiming he knew we could speak cat, and told us he could help us out. His name was Sun-something-or-other."

"Who could that be?" Bumbleclaw wondered.

"Anyway, he said he knew our heart's deepest desire. Palepelts raided our camp and destroyed our dens and our food. We began rebuilding, and then he came. He spoke of a beautiful territory, with a huge lake to drink from and cats to prey on. Yes, cats," she growled when Bumbleclaw opened his mouth. "My skulk has developed in a taste for cats since he brought them the body of a black she-cat, with clouded green eyes."

Ivypaw gasped.

"He told us he would help us in exchange for being co-ruler of the forest and helping him take down four cats who oppose him: three warriors and an apprentice.

"Our leader, Lark, agreed and had the skulk continue to mend the camp, but not very well and only with twigs instead of the great trees and huge boulders that it used to be made out of."

"What is a skulk?" Ivypaw asked.

"A group of foxes. You call them Clans. **(Dawn: I got that one off the internet lol) **Now you must warn your Clan, and the chosen four, that a great battle is coming. There are traitors within your own Clan, and in the others."

"Traitors?" Ivypaw gulped.

"I must go. I'm betraying my leader by warning you," Spark growled. With that, she turned away and ran off.

"Come on, we must warn the Clan!" Ivypaw yowled.

"Let's go!" The two cats raced off.

**Dawn: It's going to get more exciting now.**

**Kish: Plenty of action; my kind of thing.**

**Zakuro: I'll give you action if you don't run!**

**Kish: Eek! *teleports away***

**Burt: How come they use those whip things instead of a real weapon? Why, my guns--**

**Dawn: I'll update next week if homework isn't too horrible!**

**Hollyleaf: Remember Spark from the prologue? She was the only fox to protest Lark's plans.**

**Dusk: So read!**

**Zakuro: and. (whatever, this is so not worth it)**

**Kish: *teleports back* Review!**


	22. Chapter 18: The Secret is Out

**Dawn: Okay, I was planning on watching Higurashi no Naku Koro ni on the computer, but a desperate fan asked me to update, so I'll try my best. Also, I'm SO sorry I haven't gotten to updating lately, but I haven't had a lot of computer time because I just got this iPod touch and haven't been using the regular internet lately.**

**Dusk: And the vote for whether Zakuro and Kish should stay on the Author's Notes is closed. Zakuro and Kish will no longer be in the Author's Notes, but Burt will stay. Sorry to all of you who were annoyed that Dawn brought them into the story.**

**Dawn: Hey, you wanted them in too!**

**Dusk: So what?**

**Burt: Calm down or I'll go and sic El Blanco on you.**

**Fans: ?????????**

**Dawn: *sighing* white albino graboid. Doesn't turn into shriekers. You're probably still confused, so watch 'Tremors' to find out. **

**Hollyleaf: What did I miss?**

**Dawn: Introduction. Anyway, here's the story.**

Ivypaw and Bumbleclaw raced through the forest at top speed. Flashes of green and brown flew across Ivypaw's vision as she ran, but she ignored them. She needed to get back to the camp as fast as she could! Spark's warning rang in her head. Now you must warn your Clan, and the chosen four, that a great battle is coming. _There are traitors within your own Clan, and in the others. _What could the fox mean? Who in her Clan would hurt her and her Clanmates? The two cats entered the camp. Firestar and Sandstorm were near the leader's den and were talking softly.

"Firestar! Firestar!" Ivypaw yowled.

"What, Ivypaw?" the leader replied, looking alarmed at Ivypaw's rush.

"Foxes...danger...traitor...talking...Spark...warned..." the apprentice panted.

"Catch your breath, then say that again," Firestar ordered. Ivypaw swallowed, then tried again.

"We ran into this fox, and she talked! She told us that there was danger in store for the Clans, and that there are traitors in them. She warned that a great battle was coming, and that a brown and black cat would attack us."

"It wasn't brown and black, it was white and black!" Bumbleclaw snapped.

"Are you sure? I'm pretty sure she said brown and black with short fur."

"No, it was white and black with long fur."

"I'm telling you--"

"Okay you two, calm down," Firestar sighed. "You say that there was a fox that can speak cat?"

"According to her all foxes can speak cat."

"Well, if that's true, then we must warn the other Clans. The Gathering is actually tonight, so we can tell them then."

"Thank you, Firestar." The two cats walked away from the leader.

"That was weird. You can't honestly expect a cat of Firestar's intelligence to believe you," a familiar voice hissed behind them. Ivypaw spun around, and saw Dovepaw stalking toward her with her fur standing on end.

"He believed us, all right," Ivypaw replied, surprised at Dovepaw's sudden hostility.

"Of course. You can't honestly believe that a cat with powers from StarClan wouldn't be able to trick the greatest leader of all time, right?"

"What do you mean?" Ivypaw gulped. How could her sister know that she was the Fourth Apprentice?

"I mean that I know who you are, and I know who Jayfeather and Lionblaze are. You're all just trying to look good and 'save the forest' so that you'll be looked at as heroes, right?"

"No! What, do you want an apocalypse for the forest?"

"You never know. Maybe I have ambitions of my own."

"Dovepaw!" Ivypaw gasped.

"May you rest well in StarClan, Fourth Apprentice!" With that, the infuriated she-cat leaped. Ivypaw barely stepped away from her sister's extended claws. Hissing, Dovepaw lunged again, aiming for Ivypaw's throat.

"Dovepaw, stop this! You don't know what you're doing!" Bumbleclaw meowed, stepping forward to join the fight.

"Yes I do! I'm sick and tired of always being the worst. Ivypaw is the best hunter and fighter in the Clan, and she's not even a warrior! Everyone likes her, and even you fell for her. I, however, have trouble even catching the simplest mouse! No one ever praises me, or respects me, or anything! The only one I have to turn to is Blazepaw, because he understands my emotions!" Dovepaw aimed a swipe at Ivypaw's throat.

"So this is all about jealousy? How do you think I feel? I hardly get alone time, and when I do, I'm dreaming about Hollyleaf or worrying about my duty in the forest! You think I like being chosen by StarClan?" Ivypaw, hissed, ducking Dovepaw's flailing claws and playing the defensive side the whole time.

"Stop this nonsense immediately!" an infuriated yowl rang across the camp. Firestar was charging toward the fighting sisters, and bowled Dovepaw over. "What is the meaning of this, Dovepaw?" Dovepaw didn't answer; instead, she hissed furiously.

"Clanmates fighting! I've never seen anything so inexcusable in my life!"

"Yes you have. You fought Graystripe once," Dovepaw hissed.

"We weren't aiming for each others' throats like you were!" Firestar's green eyes flashed in anger. "Dovepaw, I can't believe this behavior came from you. What made you do this to Ivypaw?"

"She's jealous that Ivypaw's the Fourth Apprentice," a familiar voice meowed. Lionblaze and Jayfeather were padding over to them.

"Ivypaw's what?"

"Firestar, I think now's the time we told you. Jayfeather, Lionblaze, Ivypaw, and possibly Hollykit are what StarClan calls the Power of Three and the Fourth Apprentice. Ivypaw here is the Fourth Apprentice, and Hollykit is the reincarnation of Hollyleaf."

"You think?" Firestar shook his head in disbelief.

"Yes, we do. And what Ivypaw said about the foxes earlier is true. Jayfeather has been having all sorts of apocalyptic dreams."

"So what is it about you that makes you special, besides the fact that you are StarClan's chosen ones? Any secret powers?" Firestar purred with amusement.

"Well, I can fight in battles without getting hurt, and Jayfeather can enter a cat's dreams. That's how he learned about the prophecy, from your dream about the gray cat."

"Skywatcher? He saw that dream?" Firestar meowed.

"Yes, he did. That's why we know about the prophecy."

"So what's Ivypaw and Hollykit's power?"

"We don't know about Hollykit, but we have a suspicion about Ivypaw's power."

"We do?" Ivypaw asked.

"Ivypaw, remember when Swallowpaw was attacking you, and the falling branch killed her? What do you remember about that moment? Any emotions, or sense of power?"

"I remember feeling really energized, like I could do anything in the world," Ivypaw murmured.

"What about the earthquake? Anything then?"

"Dovepaw was being attacked, and I remember the huge urge to help her, and I wanted the battle to end so badly so she wouldn't get hurt," Ivypaw replied. Dovepaw's eyes widened in surprise and pain.

"We think that in a great time of need you are able to call on the elements of the forest to do your bidding. Earth helped you twice, both in the tree branch and the earthquake."

"So you think that I can control the elements?"

"Only when you are in danger or you are experiencing a time of great emotion."

"Now that's a theory," Firestar meowed.

"So now what? Do we just wait for the foxes to attack us?" Jayfeather said.

"No. We will prepare the best we can, and then we'll attack them." Firestar looked at them with sad eyes. "It's the best we can do to save the forest."

**Dawn: So what do you think?**

**Dusk: Awesomeness.**

**Hollyleaf: You decided my power yet?**

**Dawn: Yes, I have.**

**Hollyleaf: COOL!!!**

**Dawn: So read and review!**


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